Combination therapy berberine-fluconazole microparticles-based to treat candidiasis infections
Ludmila Pini Simões Gobbi, Eliana Harue Endo Costa, Carla Maria Mariano Fernandez, Fabiana Bruschi Lorenzetti, Dyenefer Pereira Fonseca, Anderson Valdiney Gomes, Debora Cristina Baldoqui, Cleverton de Souza Fernandes, Tânia Ueda-Nakamura, Celso Vataru Nakamura, Marli Miriam de Souza Lima, Benedito Prado Dias Filho- Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
- General Medicine
- Biotechnology
Abstract
Aim
This study aims to incorporate alginate microparticles containing berberine and fluconazole into two different types of pharmaceutical formulations, to subsequently evaluate the antifungal activity against Candida albicans.
Methods and results
Alginate microparticles containing BBR (Berberine) and FLU (Fluconazole) were produced by the spray drying technique, characterized and incorporated in two pharmaceutical formulations, a vaginal cream and artificial saliva. Broth microdilution, checkerboard, time-kill curve and scanning electron microscopy were carried out to determine the antifungal effects of BBR and FLU against C. albicans. The MIC and MFC values of free BBR were 125 μg ml−1. Synergism between BBR and FLU was demonstrated by a FICI = 0.0762. The time-kill curve for the combination BBR+FLU showed a more pronounced decrease in fungal growth in comparison to free drugs, and an anti-biofilm effect of BBR occurred in the formation and pre-formed biofilm.
Conclusion
Alginate microparticles containing BBR and FLU were obtained and incorporated in a vaginal cream and artificial saliva. Both formulations showed good stability, antifungal effects and organoleptic characteristics which suggest that BBR-FLU microparticles in formulations have potential as antifungal therapy.