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Fluoride enhances the activity of fungicides that destabilize cell membranes

Sanshu Li1, Ronald R Breaker

  • 1Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, Box 208103, New Haven, CT 06520-8103, USA.

Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters
|March 31, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Fluoride combined with antifungal compounds enhances fungal growth inhibition. Certain compounds increase fluoride uptake, boosting the effectiveness of otherwise sub-inhibitory fluoride concentrations against fungi like Candida albicans.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Biochemistry
  • Antimicrobial Research

Background:

  • Fluoride is known to inhibit microbial growth by interfering with metabolic enzymes.
  • Antifungal compounds targeting cell membrane integrity are crucial for treating fungal infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the synergistic effect of fluoride with antifungal compounds on fungal growth.
  • To explore compounds that enhance cellular fluoride uptake for improved antifungal activity.

Main Methods:

  • Testing the combined efficacy of millimolar fluoride concentrations with polyene antifungal compounds and an antifungal peptide.
  • Evaluating the inhibition of fungal growth in various species, including Candida albicans.
  • Identifying compounds that facilitate increased cellular fluoride uptake.

Main Results:

  • Antifungal compounds disrupting cell membrane integrity showed enhanced fungal growth inhibition when combined with millimolar fluoride.
  • Synergy was observed between fluoride and polyene antifungals/antifungal peptides against tested fungal species.
  • Specific compounds were identified that increase cellular fluoride uptake.

Conclusions:

  • Combining fluoride with certain antifungal agents potentiates their growth-inhibitory effects.
  • Compounds enhancing fluoride uptake offer novel strategies for developing synergistic antimicrobial therapies.
  • This research opens avenues for using sub-inhibitory ion concentrations in combination treatments.

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