Objective : To determine whether nystatin, amphotericin B and miconazole have similar effects upon the fatty acids and phospholipids of
Candida albicans
and
C. dubliniensis .
Materials and Methods: Serial dilutions of antifungal drugs were prepared in flasks. Then 50 ml of standardised suspension of tested yeasts was inoculated into each flask and incubated in shaking water bath at 37°C for 48 h. The last flask that had growth was centrifuged and the yeast cells harvested, washed and freeze-dried. Polar lipids were extracted from freeze-dried cells and were analysed by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FAB MS) in negative-ion mode.
Results: Nystatin, amphotericin B and miconazole have different effects on phospholipids and fatty acids of two strains of
C. albicans and a single strain of
C. dubliniensis . The content of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) in
C. dubliniensis decreased from 53.2% to 19.4% and from 53.2% to 14.3% in the presence of nystatin and amphotericin B, respectively, whereas this phospholipid was absent in cultures exposed to miconazole. In both the examined strains of
C. albicans , PE was decreased,in the presence of amphotericin B and nystatin, whereas PE in both strains of
C. albicans increased when cultures were exposed to nystatin.
Conclusion: It is concluded that biosynthesis of fatty acids and phospholipids of
C. albicans and
C. dubliniensis is affected by nystatin, amphotericin B and miconazole, in addition to the effects on ergosterol previously described. Antifungals also exert both qualitative and quantitative effects on different strains of
C. albicans.
