The Anti-helminthic Compound Mebendazole Has Multiple Antifungal Effects against Cryptococcus neoformans.

ABSTRACT: Cryptococcus neoformans is the most lethal pathogen of the central nervous system. The gold standard treatment of cryptococcosis, a combination of amphotericin B with 5-fluorocytosine, involves broad toxicity, high costs, low efficacy, and limited worldwide availability. Although the need for new antifungals is clear, drug research and development (R&D) is costly and time-consuming. Thus, drug repurposing is an alternative to R&D and to the currently available tools for treating fungal diseases. Here we screened a collection of compounds approved for use in humans seeking for those with anti-cryptococcal activity. We found that benzimidazoles consist of a broad class of chemicals inhibiting C. neoformans growth. Mebendazole and fenbendazole were the most efficient antifungals

SUBMITTER: Joffe LS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5368277 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature