In vitro evaluation of antifungal effects of nanoliposomal fl uconazole against fl uconazole susceptible and resistant Candida species isolated from patients

Abstract

The aim of this study was to produce fluconazole loaded liposomal nanoparticles, to analyze their physicochemical properties and to compare their antifungal effects with the free fluconazole drug in vitro against the fluconazole susceptible and resistant Candida species isolated from patients. Six common candida species including C. albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, C. glabrata, C. krusei and C. guilliermondii were tested. The Liposomal nanoparticles were prepared using thin layer hydration method and soybean lecithin, cholesterol, and fluconazole at a ratio of 10: 1: 1. The nanoparticles were analyzedin terms of size, poly dispersity index, zeta potential, morphology, entrapment efficiency of drug and the amount of drug released. To investigate the antifungal effects of liposomal nanoparticles and compare them with the free form of fluconazole, we used Broth Microdilution as described in CLSI M27-A3. The results were analyzed using Student's T-test and indicated the greater antifungal effects of the liposomal nanoparticles containing fluconazole than the normal form of the drug. It was shown that MIC of Fluconazole was put in the range of sensitive species after exposure with the Fluconazole Nanoliposomal in most Fluconazole resistant Candida species except for the krusei species. Therefore, it is likely that we can use the new system for drug delivery to prevent drug release from the cell. In addition, this is the first research using fluconazole lipid nanoparticles against C. krusei.