Toxoplasma gondii: Fluconazole and itraconazole activity against toxoplasmosis in a murine model

Exp Parasitol. 2009 Dec 31. [Epub ahead of print]

Toxoplasma gondii: Fluconazole and itraconazole activity against toxoplasmosis in a murine model

Martins-Duarte ES, Lemgruber L, Souza WD, Vommaro RC.

Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, CCS Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Toxoplasma gondii is an important opportunistic pathogen affecting immunocompromised patients with AIDS. Toxoplasmic encephalitis is responsible for high morbidity and mortality. In this study, we investigated the activity of the antifungals fluconazole (FLZ) and itraconazole (ITZ) against T. gondii in mice infected with the Me49 strain. As previously reported for ITZ, FLZ also demonstrated a selective effect against T. gondiiin vitro; the IC(50) values obtained for FLZ were 8.9 muM and 3.1 muM after 24 h and 48 h of treatment, respectively. A 10-day treatment of mice with orally or intraperitoneally administered 20 mg/kg/day FLZ showed a significant survival difference compared to untreated mice. The administration of 20 mg/kg/day ITZ significantly reduced the brain cyst burden compared to untreated mice but did not exert significant protection against death. The results obtained in this work are rather promising as ITZ and FLZ are safe and low-cost drugs available on the market. Copyright © 2009. Published by Elsevier Inc.

PMID: 20045696