Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2026
08:31
Candida albicans Biofilm Development on Medically-relevant Foreign Bodies in a Mouse Subcutaneous Model Followed by Bioluminescence Imaging
Published on: January 27, 2015
Lipid-based amphotericin B formulations: from animals to man
1Fujisawa Healthcare, Inc., Three Parkway North, Deerfield, IL 60015, USA.
Pharmaceutical Science & Technology Today
|June 15, 1999
Summary
Amphotericin B remains a key antifungal drug, but lipid formulations significantly improve its safety and therapeutic index. This review compares these advanced delivery systems for better systemic antifungal treatment.
Area of Science:
- Mycology
- Pharmacology
- Drug Delivery Systems
Background:
- Amphotericin B has been a primary systemic antifungal agent for over three decades.
- Despite its efficacy, severe side effects limit its use.
- Newer antifungal agents have not surpassed Amphotericin B's effectiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review modern lipid-based drug delivery systems for Amphotericin B.
- To compare the efficacy and safety profiles of marketed liposomal formulations.
- To highlight advancements in Amphotericin B's therapeutic index.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on Amphotericin B and its lipid formulations.
- Analysis of structural differences between liposomal Amphotericin B products.
- Comparison of clinical data regarding efficacy and side effects.
Main Results:
- Lipid formulations enhance Amphotericin B's safety by reducing toxicity.
- Three marketed liposomal Amphotericin B formulations exist, differing in structure and side-effect profiles.
- These formulations allow for more aggressive treatment compared to conventional Amphotericin B.
Conclusions:
- Lipid-based drug delivery has significantly improved Amphotericin B's safety profile.
- Marketed liposomal formulations offer improved therapeutic indices.
- Understanding formulation-specific differences is crucial for optimal systemic antifungal therapy.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:27Bioavailability Enhancement: Drug Permeability Enhancement
After oral administration, poor permeability often limits the rate at which drugs are absorbed through the intestinal epithelium. Enhancing drug permeability is crucial for effective therapy, and several strategies have been developed to overcome this challenge.One effective strategy involves the use of lipid-based formulations. These formulations enhance dissolution and solubility, targeting physiological mechanisms to increase drug absorption. This includes stimulating bile salt secretion,...
01:27Pharmaceutical Alternatives: Polymorphic Form-Related and Particle Size-Related Therapeutic Nonequivalence
Changes in polymorphic forms can significantly influence the bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. Although the FDA defines pharmaceutical equivalence based on having the same active ingredient, dosage form, and route of administration, it does not automatically disqualify products with different polymorphic forms. This means two products with different polymorphs can still be deemed pharmaceutically equivalent. However, polymorphic differences can affect properties like wettability,...
01:27Production of Antibiotics
Penicillin, one of the earliest and most widely used antibiotics, is produced industrially by the filamentous fungus Penicillium chrysogenum. Large stirred-tank bioreactors ranging from tens to hundreds of thousands of liters maintain tightly controlled temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen conditions to support fungal metabolism and maximize antibiotic yield. Penicillin is a secondary metabolite, synthesized primarily during the stationary growth phase, which requires a carefully managed...
01:30Production of Pharmaceuticals
Industrial insulin production uses genetically engineered E. coli expressing a proinsulin gene controlled by a tryptophan promoter and containing a methionine linker for later cleavage. The cells also carry ampicillin resistance for selective growth. Seed cultures are stored at −80 °C and production begins by thawing a small amount to inoculate starter cultures, which are progressively scaled to a 50,000-L bioreactor. In the bioreactor, E. coli grow in nutrient-rich media under sterile, tightly...
01:15Antifungal Agents
Amphotericin B is a broad-spectrum antifungal agent that exploits structural differences between fungal and mammalian cell membranes. Its amphipathic structure—featuring a hydrophobic polyene-lactone ring and a hydrophilic region containing mycosamine and carboxylic acid groups—enables selective binding to ergosterol, a sterol predominantly found in fungal plasma membranes. This selective interaction underlies the drug’s antifungal activity, although weak binding to cholesterol contributes to...
01:21Antiprotozoal Agents
Leishmaniasis is a widespread parasitic disease caused by several Leishmania species. It affects millions of people each year and remains a major public health problem in endemic regions. First-line treatment relies on pentavalent antimonials, including meglumine antimoniate and sodium stibogluconate. Even so, how these drugs work has not been fully clear, especially their interaction with parasite-specific biochemical pathways. One key target is trypanothione reductase (TR), an enzyme that...