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Updated: Dec 1, 2025
Broth Microdilution In Vitro Screening: An Easy and Fast Method to Detect New Antifungal Compounds
Published on: February 14, 2018
In vitro activity of immunosuppressive agents against Cryptococcus neoformans
Luana Rossato1, Tarcieli P Venturini1, Maria Isabel de Azevedo2
1Postgraduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Sciences Centre, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
Introduction:
Infections caused by Cryptococcus neoformans are a major cause of fungal mortality in HIV-infected/AIDS patients and in those receiving organ transplants. We evaluated the in vitro activity of tacrolimus and cyclosporine in combination with amphotericin B and fluconazole against C. neoformans.
Methods:
MICs were determined against a total of 30 clinical isolates of C. neoformans by the microdilution method following the CLSI M27-A3 guidelines and by the checkerboard method.
Results:
Tacrolimus and cyclosporine A showed in vitro activity against cryptococcal isolates. The combination of amphotericin B with cyclosporine A or tacrolimus was synergistic against 90% and 30% of isolates, respectively. Synergism was also observed with the combination of fluconazole with cyclosporine A or tacrolimus, against 70% and 20% of isolates, respectively.
Conclusions:
The synergistic interactions between the calcineurin inhibitors and antifungal drugs against C. neoformans isolates, could potentially have a role in devising novel therapeutic strategies for this opportunistic mycosis.
