Flucytosine + fluconazole association in the treatment of a murine experimental model of cryptococcosis

• Published in: Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo
• Main Authors: A. J. Bava, R. Negroni
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade de São Paulo (USP) 1994
• Subjects: Cryptococcosis; Experimental cryptococcosis; Antifungal drugs; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0036-46651994000600013; https://doaj.org/article/b5a6255bbd3a4257ab16e3ba97287629

The efficacy of flucytosine (5-FC) and fluconazole (FLU) association in the treatment of a murine experimental model of cryptococcosis, was evaluated. Seven groups of 10 Balb C mice each, were intraperitoneally inoculated with 10(7) cells of Cryptococcus neoformans. Six groups were allocated to receive 5-FC (300 mg/kg) and FLU (16 mg/ kg), either combined and individually, by daily gavage beginning 5 days after the infection, for 2 and 4 weeks. One group received distilled water and was used as control. The evaluation of treatments was based on: survival time; macroscopic examination of brain, lungs, liver and spleen at autopsy; presence of capsulated yeasts in microscopic examination of wet preparations of these organs and cultures of brain homogenate. 5-FC and FLU, individually or combined, significantly prolonged the survival time of the treated animals with respect to the control group (p<0.01). Animals treated for 4 weeks survived significantly longer than those treated for 2 weeks (p<0.01). No significant differences between the animals treated with 5-FC and FLU combined or separately were observed in the survival time and morphological parameters. The association of 5-FC and FLU does not seem to be more effective than 5-FC or FLU alone, in the treatment of this experimental model of cryptococcosis.