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In vitro synergistic effects of chlorpromazine and sertraline in combination with amphotericin B against Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii

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Abstract

Cryptococcus neoformans is encapsulated yeast that causes cryptococcosis. The cryptococcal meningitis may cause neuropsychiatric symptoms. Here, we evaluated the in vitro activity of amphotericin B (AMB), chlorpromazine (CLOR), and sertraline (SERT) alone or in combination against clinical isolates of C. neoformans considering the capsular induction in vitro. Susceptibility tests were carried out using the broth microdilution method in accordance with the CLSI document M27-A3. The combination [CLOR + AMB] exhibited synergism for 50 and 67 % of strains before capsular induction (group I) and after capsular induction (group II), respectively. The combination [SERT + AMB] showed 60 % of synergism against the both groups. Antagonism was not observed. Our results show the therapeutic potential of chlorpromazine and sertraline in combination with amphotericin B against neurocryptococcosis.

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Acknowledgments

Loreto ES thanks the financial support by PNPD-CAPES from Brazil. Alves SH thanks the financial support provided by the Brazilian Agencies FAPERGS (Grant Proc. 2261-12) and CNPq (Grant Proc. 470229/2012-8).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Avenida Roraima, 1000, Cidade Universitária, Bairro Camobi, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil, 97105-900

    Luana Rossato, Francieli Chassot & Sydney H. Alves

  2. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Farmacologia, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil

    Érico S. Loreto & Janio M. Santurio

  3. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: farmacologia e terapêutica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

    Régis A. Zanette

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  1. Luana Rossato
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  2. Érico S. Loreto
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  3. Régis A. Zanette
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  5. Janio M. Santurio
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  6. Sydney H. Alves
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Correspondence to Luana Rossato.

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Rossato, L., Loreto, É.S., Zanette, R.A. et al. In vitro synergistic effects of chlorpromazine and sertraline in combination with amphotericin B against Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii . Folia Microbiol 61, 399–403 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12223-016-0449-8

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