In Vitro Activity of Combinations of Zinc Chelators with Amphotericin B and Posaconazole against Six Mucorales Species

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2019 Apr 25;63(5):e00266-19. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00266-19. Print 2019 May.

Abstract

Mucormycosis is an emerging disease with high mortality rates. Few antifungal drugs are active against Mucorales. Considering the low efficacy of monotherapy, combination-therapy strategies have been described. It is known that fungi are susceptible to zinc deprivation, so we tested the in vitro effect of the zinc chelators clioquinol, phenanthroline, and N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethane-1,2-diamine combined with amphotericin B or posaconazole against 25 strains of Mucorales. Clioquinol-posaconazole was the most active combination, although results were strain dependent.

Keywords: Mucorales; antifungal susceptibility testing; posaconazole; zinc chelators.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amphotericin B / pharmacology*
  • Antifungal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Chelating Agents / pharmacology*
  • Clioquinol / pharmacology
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Mucorales / drug effects*
  • Phenanthrolines / pharmacology
  • Triazoles / pharmacology*
  • Zinc / chemistry*

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Chelating Agents
  • Phenanthrolines
  • Triazoles
  • posaconazole
  • Clioquinol
  • Amphotericin B
  • Zinc