Experimental paracoccidioidomycosis: alternative therapy with ajoene, compound from Allium sativum, associated with sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim

• Published in: Medical mycology (Oxford) Vol. 46; no. 2; p. 113
• Main Authors: Thomaz, L, Apitz-Castro, R, Marques, A F, Travassos, L R, Taborda, C P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.03.2008
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Infective Agents - chemistry; Anti-Infective Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Infective Agents - therapeutic use; Biological Products; Complementary Therapies; Disulfides - chemistry; Disulfides - therapeutic use; Garlic - chemistry; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Paracoccidioides - drug effects; Paracoccidioides - immunology; Paracoccidioides - isolation & purification; Paracoccidioidomycosis - drug therapy; Paracoccidioidomycosis - immunology; Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination - chemistry; Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 1369-3786
• DOI: 10.1080/13693780701651681

Ajoene has been described as an antithrombotic, anti-tumour, antifungal, antiparasitic and antibacterial agent. This study deals with the efficacy of ajoene to treat mice intratracheally infected with Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. The results indicate that ajoene therapy is effective in association with antifungal drugs (sulfametoxazol/trimethoprim), showing a positive additive effect. Ajoene-treated mice developed Th1-type cytokine responses producing higher levels of IFN-gamma and IL-12 when compared to the infected but untreated members of the control group. Antifungal activity of ajoene involves a direct effect on fungi and a protective pro-inflammatory immune response. Reduction of fungal load is additive to chemotherapy and therefore the combined treatment is mostly effective against experimental paracoccidioidomycosis.