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Topical delivery of drugs using nanosponges has gained significant attention as a potential strategy for the treatment of fungal infections. Nanosponges, owing to their large surface area, biocompatibility and ability to selectively absorb and retain various molecules, have the potential to enhance the delivery of antifungal drugs to the site of infection. This review focuses on recent developments in the field of topical delivery of antifungal drugs using nanosponges. The review encompasses the various types of nanosponges loaded with different antifungal drugs that achieved preclinical successes and the reasons behind the superiority of nanosponge formulation as anti-fungal drug delivery platforms in terms of their drug loading and release capacities. Additionally, potential applications in areas such as drug delivery and the use of botanical extracts and their phytochemicals together with nanosponges for antifungal use have been cited, along with the current challenges and future directions in the field of nanosponges. [Display omitted] • This paper discusses about highly porous nano sponges. • Nano sponge may be a good delivery device for antifungal drug delivery. • This paper gives a clear view about synthesis, functionalization, and applications. • Future perspective and challenges associated with nano sponges were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virulent fungi represent a particularly difficult problem in the infectious disease arena as these organisms are eukaryotes that share many orthologous activities with their human hosts. The fact that these activities are often catalyzed by conserved proteins places additional demands on development of pharmacological strategies for specifically inhibiting target fungal activities without imposing undesirable secondary effects on the host. While deployment of a limited set of anti-mycotics has to date satisfied the clinical needs for treatment of fungal infections, the recent emergence of multi-drug resistant fungal 'superbugs' now poses a serious global health threat with rapidly diminishing options for treatment. This escalating infectious disease problem emphasizes the urgent need for development of new classes of anti-mycotics. In that regard, Sec14 phosphatidylinositol transfer proteins offer interesting possibilities for interfering with fungal phosphoinositide signaling with exquisite specificity and without targeting the highly conserved lipid kinases responsible for phosphoinositide production. Herein, we review the establishment of proof-of-principle that demonstrates the feasibility of such an approach. We also describe the lead compounds of four chemotypes that directly target fungal Sec14 proteins. The rules that pertain to the mechanism(s) of Sec14 inhibition by validated small molecule inhibitors, and the open questions that remain, are discussed – as are the challenges that face development of next generation Sec14-directed inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) studies have been performed to study the structural changes induced in the membranes of vesicles prepared (by thin film evaporation) from phospholipid and mixed phospholipid–sterol mixtures, in the presence of different concentrations and different aggregation states of the anti-fungal drug, amphotericin B (AmB). In the majority of the experiments reported, the lipid vesicles were prepared with the drug added directly to the lipid dispersions dissolved in solvents favouring either AmB monomers or aggregates, and the vesicles then sonicated to a mean size of ~100nm. Experiments were also performed, however, in which micellar dispersions of the drug were added to pre-formed lipid and lipid–sterol vesicles. The vesicles were prepared using the phospholipid palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC), or mixtures of this lipid with either 30mol% cholesterol or 30mol% ergosterol. Analyses of the SANS data show that irrespective of the AmB concentration or aggregation state, there is an increase in the membrane thickness of both the pure POPC and the mixed POPC-sterol vesicles—in all cases amounting to ~4Å. The structural changes induced by the drug''s insertion into the model fungal cell membranes (as mimicked by POPC-ergosterol vesicles) are thus the same as those resulting from its insertion into the model mammalian cell membranes (as mimicked by POPC-cholesterol vesicles). It is concluded that the specificity of AmB for fungal versus human cells does not arise because of (static) structural differences between lipid–cholesterol-AmB and lipid–ergosterol-AmB membranes, but more likely results from differences in the kinetics of their transmembrane pore formation and/or because of enthalpic differences between the two types of sterol-AmB complexes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper describes the use of a polished silver solid amalgam electrode (p-AgSAE), evaluation of its electrochemical behaviour and the development of an electroanalytical procedure for the determination of ketoconazole (KC) in pharmaceutical formulations. The experimental and voltammetric conditions were evaluated and the best responses were obtained in BR buffer (pH 12.0) with f =100s−1, a =25mV and ΔE s =2mV. Under these conditions, the voltammetric response of KC presented a well-defined and quasi-reversible reduction peak at around −1.46V vs. Ag/AgCl/Cl− at 3.0molL−1. Analysis of a purified laboratory electrolyte using the proposed methodology allowed for responses that were directly proportional to KC concentration, and the analytical sensitivity was comparable to published results using mercury electrodes and solid surfaces, such as carbon paste, gold and platinum electrodes. The recovery percentages in pure electrolyte, as well as tablet, shampoo and cream samples, showed values from 90 to 105%, demonstrating that the voltammetric methodology proposed is suitable for determining KC in complex samples. The method has excellent robustness and specificity for analytical purposes, minimises toxic residues due to the use of liquid mercury, and avoids adsorptive processes related to the use of other solid surfaces. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A 57-year-old male who had been treated for granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) presented with cough and back pain that had persisted for three days. Mild infiltration shadows and nodules were found on computed tomography images at that time. Increase of GPA lesions and/or bacterial pneumonia was initially suspected. However, serum Cryptococcus neoformans antigen was positive and the chest X-ray findings had worsened by the following day despite of appropriate antibiotic treatment. Thus, pneumonia due to C. neoformans was diagnosed because C. neoformans was also isolated blood and lung tissues, and he was treated with antifungal agents: L-AMB and 5-FC, and followed up by chest radiography on a daily basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]