Optimized combinations of statins and azoles against Acanthamoeba trophozoites and cysts in vitro

• Published in: Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine
• Main Authors: Ines Sifaoui, Carmen M Martín-Navarro, Atteneri López-Arencibia, María Reyes-Batlle, Basilio Valladares, José E Piñero, Sutherland K Maciver, Jacob Lorenzo-Morales
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2019
• Subjects: keratitis; voriconazole; posaconazole; atorvastatin; fluvastatin; simvastatin; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.4103/1995-7645.261287; https://doaj.org/article/a6a31773b1f942d69a2bb72adb883963

Objective: To evaluate the combination of several statins (atorvastatin, fluvastatin and simvastatin) and azoles (voriconazole, posaconazole and itraconazole) against Acanthamoeba spp. Methods: The efficiency of the different drug combinations against the trophozoite stage of different Acanthamoeba strains were evaluated by Alamar Blue assay. Effect on the cyst stage was observed by inverted microscope. Cytotoxicity of combinations of azoles and statins was evaluated by measuring the release of lactate dehydrogenase from a murine macrophage cell line. Results: Combinations of any of the tested statins and voriconazole or posaconazole were more efficient in inhibiting Acanthamoeba compared to statins or azoles individually. The drug combinations at the combined inhibitory concentrations 50% showed lower toxicity compared to that of the compounds alone. Conclusions: The combinations of statins together with voriconazole and posaconazole are more efficient than these drugs alone, and these combinations have lower cytotoxicity in mammalian cell lines.