In vitro antifungal activity of 2-(2'-hydroxy-5'-aminophenyl)benzoxazole in Candida spp. strains

The development of azole antifungals has allowed for the treatment of several fungal infections. However, the use of these compounds is restricted because of their hepatotoxicity or because they need to be administered together with other drugs in order to prevent resistance to monotherapy. Benzoxazole derivatives are among the most thriving molecular prototypes for the development of antifungal agents. 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl) benzoxazoles are versatile molecules that emit fluorescence and have antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. 2-(2'-hydroxy-5'-aminophenyl) benzoxazole (HAMBO) was tested against Candida yeast. The inhibition provided by HAMBO was lower than that of fluconazole, showing low antifungal activity against Candida spp., but equivalent to that of benzoxazoles tested in similar studies. HAMBO showed fungistatic activity against all analysed strains. This class of novel benzoxazole compounds may be used as template to produce better antifungal drugs.