The Effect of Combinations of Antimycotics on Systemic Candidiasis in a Mouse Model

Objective: This study was planned to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of terbinafine and interaction between terbinafine with amphotericin B, and fluconazole on candidiasis in a mouse model. Material and Methods: Treatment with amphotericin B (1mg/kg/day intraperitoneally), fluconazole (100 mg/kg/day ip), terbinafine (100 mg/kg/day by oral gavage) and combinations of terbinafine with amphotericin B and terbinafine with fluconazole at the same doses began 24 h after infection and continued for 10 days, and kidney cultures were performed. Results: No significant improvement in survival was not found between the control and the terbinafine group (p>0.05). With the addition of amphotericin B to terbinafine, significant improvement in survival was found compared with the survival of untreated controls (p<0.0001). When compared with the control group, the kidney culture results of the amphotericin B group were superior to those with two-fold reduction in CFU counts (p<0.05), but the difference between the terbinafine group and the control group was not significant (p>0.05). Terbinafine with amphotericin B and terbinafine with fluconazole combinations, when compared by fungal density reduction with amphotericin B, were less effective and the difference was significant (p<0.0001). Conclusion: Terbinafine had no effect on controlling systemic candidiasis alone and a slight effect in combination with amphotericin B and fluconazole.