Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 31, 2026

Candida albicans Biofilm Chip CaBChip for High-throughput Antifungal Drug Screening
08:05

Candida albicans Biofilm Chip CaBChip for High-throughput Antifungal Drug Screening

Published on: July 18, 2012

13.8K

A pilot study on ultrashort peptide with fluconazole: A promising novel anticandidal combination

Rula M Darwish1, Ali H Salama2

  • 1Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy, the University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan.

Veterinary World
|August 14, 2023
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

A novel peptide, KW-23, shows potent antimicrobial activity against Candida albicans strains. Combined with fluconazole, it offers a promising, low-toxicity therapeutic option for candidiasis.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Pharmacology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • * *Candida albicans* infections pose significant treatment challenges due to drug resistance and toxicity.
  • * Effective antifungal therapies are scarce, necessitating novel antimicrobial agents.
  • * Invasive candidiasis can be life-threatening, highlighting the need for new treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • * To evaluate the efficacy of the KW-23 peptide against *Candida albicans*.
  • * To assess the synergistic effect of KW-23 in combination with fluconazole.
  • * To determine the toxicity profile of the KW-23 peptide.

Main Methods:

  • * Design and synthesis of a conjugated ultrashort antimicrobial peptide (KW-23).
  • * Antimicrobial susceptibility testing using standard and checkerboard assays against *C. albicans*.
  • * Hemolytic assays to evaluate peptide toxicity on human erythrocytes.

Main Results:

  • * KW-23 demonstrated potent activity against standard and resistant *C. albicans* strains.
  • * Significant synergistic antimicrobial activity was observed when KW-23 was combined with fluconazole against the standard strain.
  • * Additive effects were noted for the combination against resistant strains, with negligible toxicity to human erythrocytes.

Conclusions:

  • * KW-23 exhibits promising anticandidal properties.
  • * The combination of KW-23 and fluconazole represents a potential therapeutic strategy for candidiasis.
  • * Further development of KW-23 could address unmet needs in antifungal treatment.
Keywords:
Candida albicansdrug combinationsfluconazolesynergismultrashort peptide

More Related Videos

Broth Microdilution In Vitro Screening: An Easy and Fast Method to Detect New Antifungal Compounds08:54

Broth Microdilution In Vitro Screening: An Easy and Fast Method to Detect New Antifungal Compounds

Published on: February 14, 2018

19.0K
Quantifying the Antifungal Activity of Peptides Against Candida albicans06:45

Quantifying the Antifungal Activity of Peptides Against Candida albicans

Published on: January 13, 2023

2.3K

Related Concept Videos

Candidiasis01:20

Candidiasis

Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by opportunistic species of Candida. It can affect various anatomical sites, including the skin, oral cavity, nails, and genitourinary tract. Among its forms, vaginal candidiasis is the most common type of mucosal infection. It typically results from the overgrowth of Candida albicans in the vaginal mucosa. Under normal conditions, C. albicans exists as a commensal organism within the vaginal microbiota, regulated by the dominance of lactobacilli, which...
Antifungal Agents01:15

Antifungal 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...