Summary
Little is known of the kinetics of yeast cell killing by amphotericin B. This is important in intermittent topical therapies using the polyene antibiotics. Our studies demonstrated that higher concentrations of amphotericin B gave higher killing rates for one strain ofCandida albicans, Torulopsis glabrata, and two strains ofCryptococcus neoformans. Washing the amphotericin B-treated yeast cells numerous times did not nullify the effects of the drug. Morphological changes were not demonstrated by electron microscopy when most of the cells were nonviable and efflux of essential nutrients from the yeast cells had occurred. These observations explain the success of intermittent topical treatment of yeasts with the polyene antibiotics, situations where brief exposure of the yeast cells to high concentrations of the drug can be effective.
Zusammenfassung
Über die Abtötungskinetik von Hefezellen durch Amphotericin B ist wenig bekannt. Bei intermittierender topischer Therapie mit Polyen-Antibiotika spielt dies eine wichtige Rolle. Unsere Untersuchungen zeigten, daß höhere Konzentrationen von Amphotericin B höhere Abtötungsraten für jeweils einen Stamm vonCandida albicans, Torulopsis glabrata und zwei Stämme vonCryptococcus neoformans ergaben. Durch mehrfaches Waschen der Amphotericin-B behandelten Hefezellen wurde die Wirkung des Medikamentes nicht aufgehoben. Morphologische Veränderungen konnten elektronenoptisch nicht nachgewiesen werden, nachdem die meisten Zellen abgestorben waren und der Ausstrom von wesentlichen Nährstoffen aus den Hefezellen stattgefunden hatte. Diese Beobachtungen erklären den Erfolg einer intermittierenden topischen Behandlung von Hefen mit Polyen-Antibiotika. Eine kurze Exposition der Hefezellen gegenüber hohen Konzentrationen der Substanz kann wirksam sein.
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Eng, R.H.K., Chmel, H. The kinetics of irreversible yeast cell damage caused by amphotericin B. Infection 8, 190–193 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01639031
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01639031