Luliconazole, a new antifungal against Candida species isolated from different sources

Luliconazole is an inhibitor for sterol 14-α-demethylase in fungal cells with a broad-spectrum antifungal activity against dermatophytes, Candida albicans, Malassezia species, dematiaceous and hyaline hyphomycetes. Furthermore, luliconazole has been clinically used for the treatment of pityriasis versicolor, dermatophytosis, onychomycosis, cutaneous and mucocutaneous candidiasis. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate in vitro antifungal activity of luliconazole against several strains of Candida species recovered from different clinical materials.

In the present study, 104 strains of Candida species including, 34 isolates from vaginitis, 23 isolates from AIDS patients with vaginal candidiasis, 24 isolates from neutropenic patients and 24 isolates from tracheal tubes, were examined for susceptibility tests. A serial dilution of luliconazole (4-0.008μg/mL) was tested against different strains of Candida species recovered from different sources.

The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) range and MIC₉₀ of vaginal isolates (HIV^-) were 1-0.063 and 1μg/mL. Furthermore, the most of strains (50%) had a MIC of 0.5μg/mL. The MIC ranges were similar (2-0.016μg/mL) for both vaginal (HIV⁺) and neutropenic patients isolates, whereas, MIC₉₀ for them were 0.5 and 1μg/mL, respectively. All tracheal tubes strains were inhibited at the range of 2-0.008μg/mL with MIC₉₀=1μg/mL. Totally, the lowest MIC₅₀ (MIC=0.015μg/mL), MIC₉₀ (MIC=1μg/mL) and MIC_GM (MIC=0.05μg/mL) are correlated to C. glabrata, a non-albicans species.

It is concluded that, luliconazole could be an alternative anti-Candida agent, however, in vivo studies must be confirmed usefulness of drug for clinical usage.