mycoheptin and Candidiasis

Candida infection caused by intravenous or intracerebral contamination with a clinical strain of C. albicans 1755 was studied comparatively on 230 albino mice. The contamination doses ranged from 10(6) to 4 . 10(7) CFU/mouse. The developing infection could be characterized as Candida encephalomeningitis complicated by generalized candidiasis. Both the contamination routes mainly led to affections of the brain, kidneys and heart. The same distribution pattern of the pathogen was observed when the culture killed by heating was administered. The intracerebral route had advantages in chemotherapeutic studies since it induced less severe and more prolonged infection. Acute purulent inflammation of the brain and kidneys developing immediately after the contamination by days 5 to 6 was replaced by a granulomatous reaction and fibroplastic processes. Decreased acute inflammation along with changes in the nature of the pathogen vegetation and morphotinctorial properties in the affected organs can be used as a criterion of the antimycotic agent efficacy. A system for estimating pathomorphological changes in the tissues and the pathogen state is described and its use is illustrated with application of amphotericin B, mycoheptin and 5-phthorcytosine.

Topics: Amphotericin B; Animals; Antifungal Agents; Brain; Candidiasis; Colony Count, Microbial; Disease Models, Animal; Flucytosine; Injections; Injections, Intravenous; Mice; Polyenes

Mycoheptin, an original antifungal polyenic antibiotic is a complex of several heptaen components. 2 heptaen components designated as mycoheptins A1 and A2 were isolated from the mycoheptin complex with the counter-current distribution technique in a system of methanol-chloroform-forate buffer, pH 8.3 (2:2:1). It was found that component A2 was the main one. Its content in the preparation is at least 80 per cent. The components were studied comparatively with respect to the elemental composition, UV and IR spectra, distribution coefficients in different solvent systems, specific rotation, biological activity and acute toxicity. Both components are original in the subgroup of "nonaromatic" heptaens. Mycoheptin A1 has a lower biological activity and toxicity but its chemotherapeutic efficiency is higher.

Topics: Animals; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; Candidiasis; Chemical Phenomena; Chemistry, Physical; Chromatography, Thin Layer; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Mice; Polyenes; Spectrophotometry, Infrared; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet