Lubeluzole: from anti-ischemic drug to preclinical antidiarrheal studies.

BACKGROUND: Lubeluzole, a neuroprotective anti-ischemic drug, was tested for its ability to act as both antibiotic chemosensitizing and antipropulsive agent for the treatment of infectious diarrhea. METHODS: In the present report, the effect of lubeluzole against antidiarrheal target was tested. The antimicrobial activity towards Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was investigated together with its ability to affect ileum and colon contractility. RESULTS: Concerning the antimicrobial activity, lubeluzole showed synergistic effects when used in combination with minocycline against four common Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922), although relatively high doses of lubeluzole were required. In ex vivo experiments on sections of gut smooth muscles, lubeluzole reduced the intestinal contractility in a dose-dependent manner, with greater effects observed on colon than on ileum, and being more potent than reference compounds otilonium bromide and loperamide. CONCLUSION: All above results identify lubeluzole as a possible starting compound for the development of a novel class of antibacterial adjuvants endowed with spasmolytic activity.

In vitro effectiveness of anidulafungin against Candida sp. biofilms.

This study furnishes deeper insights to previous works on anidulafungin, demonstrating the potent activity against Candida strains planktonic cells and biofilms. Candida sp., associated with many biomaterial-related infections, give rise to infective pathologies typically associated with biofilm formation. We recently determined the in vitro antifungal activities of echinocandin anidulafungin in association with some antifungal drugs against some Candida strains in their planktonic states. A total of 11 Candida strains biofilms were tested in this study: six Candida albicans, three C. parapsilosis and two C. tropicalis. All yeast isolates and ATCC strains were stored at -20°C in glycerol stocks and were subcultured on antimicrobial agent-free Sabouraud dextrose agar plates. MIC endpoints were determined colorimetrically by using the indicator 2,3-bis(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulphophenyl)-5-[(phenylamino)carbonyl]-2H-tetrazolium hydroxide (XTT) with menadione as electron-coupling agent. The activity of anidulafungin was assessed using in vitro microbiological model relevant for clinical practice. Anidulafungin showed a strong activity in vitro against both planktonic and biofilms cells, and our study confirms that high anidulafungin concentrations might establish paradoxical growth effect in C. albicans and C. tropicalis biofilms.

In vitro synergy testing of anidulafungin with fluconazole, tioconazole, 5-flucytosine and amphotericin B against some Candida spp.

In this paper the authors investigated a synergistic antimycotic effect between four antifungal drugs Amphotericin B, Fluconazole, Tioconazole, and Flucytosine individually combined with Anidulafungin compound. This latter is considered a drug of choice in the treatment of fungal infections; it has good activity both in vitro and in vivo against yeasts and moulds, as Candida and Aspergillus. The goal of this study was to evaluate the in vitro interaction of Anidulafungin in the synergic combinations with previous reported drugs against 12 Candida strains according to CLSI M27-A3 protocol. A synergistic interaction was observed against the most antifungal strains; in particular an increasing of the antimycotic efficacy was obtained from the association between Anidulafungin and Amphotericin B or Fluconazole (Mixture 4:6). In contrast the association Tioconazole/Anidulafungin was less effective on fungal species growth. The antimycotics MIC reduction values were more evident against some strains as C. glabrata, C. krusei, C. tropicalis and C. parapsilosis.

In vitro synergic efficacy of the combination of Nystatin with the essential oils of Origanum vulgare and Pelargonium graveolens against some Candida species.

In this study we investigated a synergistic effect between the essential oils Origanum vulgare, Pelargonium graveolens and Melaleuca alternifolia and the antifungal compound Nystatin. Nystatin is considered a drug of choice in the treatment of fungal infections, but it can cause some considerable problems through its side effects, such as renal damage. Finding a new product that can reduce the Nystatin dose via combination is very important. Our findings showed an experimental occurrence of a synergistic interaction between two of these essential oils and Nystatin. The essential oil O. vulgare appeared to be the most effective, inhibiting all the Candida species evaluated in this study. Some combinations of Nystatin and P. graveolens essential oil did not have any synergistic interactions for some of the strains considered. Associations of Nystatin with M. alternifolia essential oil had only an additive effect.