Enhanced fungicidal activity of N-chlorotaurine in nasal secretion

J Antimicrob Chemother. 2001 Jun;47(6):871-4. doi: 10.1093/jac/47.6.871.

Abstract

The antifungal activity of N-chlorotaurine (NCT), a long-lived oxidant produced by stimulated human leucocytes, was investigated. Incubation of Aspergillus spp., Candida spp., Fusarium spp., Penicillium spp. and Alternaria spp. in 1% NCT (55 mM) for 1-4 h produced a log10 reduction in cfu of between 1 and 4. In samples of nasal secretion, killing was significantly hastened (30 min), which may be explained by the formation of monochloramine by halogenation of ammonium, which was found at a concentration of 1 mM in these samples. For these reasons, NCT is of interest as a new agent for treatment of local inflammatory mycosis, e.g. eosinophilic fungal rhinosinusitis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antifungal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Aspergillus / drug effects*
  • Candida / drug effects*
  • Fusarium / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Nasal Mucosa / chemistry*
  • Nasal Mucosa / metabolism
  • Nasal Mucosa / microbiology
  • Penicillium / drug effects
  • Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / metabolism
  • Taurine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Taurine / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Quaternary Ammonium Compounds
  • Taurine
  • N-chlorotaurine