In vitro anti-yeast activity of chloramphenicol: A preliminary report

• Published in: Journal de mycologie médicale 2015-03, Vol.25 (1), p.17-22
• Main Authors: Joseph, M.R.P., Al-Hakami, A.M., Assiry, M.M., Jamil, A.S., Assiry, A.M., Shaker, M.A., Hamid, M.E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antifongiques; Antifungal Agents - pharmacology; Antifungals; Candida - drug effects; Candida albicans; Candida famata; Candida glabrata; Chloramphenicol; Chloramphenicol - pharmacology; Chloramphénicol; Cryptococcus neoformans; Cryptococcus neoformans - drug effects; Echinocandins - pharmacology; Fluconazole - pharmacology; Humans; In vitro susceptibility; Ketoconazole - pharmacology; Levures; Lipopeptides; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Pilot Projects; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - drug effects; Sensibilité in vitro; Yeasts
• ISSN: 1156-5233; 1773-0449
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mycmed.2014.10.019

Chloramphenicol is a bacteriostatic antimicrobial agent but its antifungal activity is not known. The present study aimed to investigate the activity of chloramphenicol against 30 representative yeasts. The antimicrobial assay of chloramphenicol (50mg/mL; 100mg/mL and 200mg/mL) was determined by the disc diffusion method using Mueller-Hinton agar against 30 representative yeast strains. Zone of inhibition was read after 48–72h incubation at 37°C and results were compared with some standard antifungal agents. Most of the tested yeasts (73.3%) showed inhibition zones (5 up to 35mm) to chloramphenicol impregnated discs (200mg/mL). Three out of the four tested Candida albicans as well as Candida famata, Candida glabrata, Candida haemolonei and Cryptococcus neoformans showed no inhibition zones to chloramphenicol (200mg/mL). Caspofungin acetate (50mg/mL) inhibited 83.3% of the strains; ketoconazole (200mg/mL) 70% and metronidazole 10%. Chloramphenicol discs: 50 and 100mg/mL showed less activity (6.7% and 36.7%, respectively) compared to the 200mg discs; whereas chloramphenicol (BBL; 3μg/mL) inhibited 13.3% of the strains. The anti-yeast activities of chloramphenicol were comparable to other known antifungal compounds. Moreover, it is cheap, has fewer side effects and its inclusions in selective fungal media such as Mycosel have to be questioned. Le chloramphénicol est un agent antimicrobien bactériostatique mais son activité antifongique n’est pas connue. La présente étude visait à étudier l’activité de chloramphénicol contre 30 levures représentatives. L’activité antimicrobienne du chloramphénicol (50mg/mL ; 100mg/mL et 200mg/mL) a été déterminée par la méthode de diffusion sur disque en utilisant la gélose de Mueller-Hinton contre 30 souches de levures représentatives. La zone d’inhibition a été lue après incubation à 37°C pendant 48–72h, les résultats ont été comparés avec ceux des agents antifongiques classiques. La plupart des levures testées (73,3 %) ont présenté des zones d’inhibition (5 à 35mm) avec des disques imprégnés de chloramphénicol (200mg/mL). Trois des quatre Candida albicans testés ainsi que Candida famata, Candida glabrata, Candida haemolonei et Cryptococcus neoformans n’ont montré aucune zone d’inhibition au chloramphénicol (200mg/mL). L’acétate de caspofungine (50mg/mL) inhibe 83,3 % des souches ; le kétoconazole (200mg/mL) 70 % et le metronidazole : 10 %. Les disques de chloramphénicol : 50 et 100mg/mL ont montré une activité moindre (6,7