Cispentacin, a new antifungal antibiotic. II. In vitro and in vivo antifungal activities.

Cispentacin [-)-(1R,2S)-2-aminocyclopentane-1-carboxylic acid) is a new antifungal antibiotic possessing potent anti-Candida activity. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) and IC100 values of cispentacin against clinical isolates of Candida albicans were in the ranges 6.3 approximately 12.5 and 6.3 approximately 50 micrograms/ml, respectively, by turbidimetric measurement in yeast nitrogen base glucose medium. No significant activity was seen against any yeasts and molds when tested by the agar dilution method using three different agar media: KNOPP's agar, yeast extract-glucose-peptone agar and Sabouraud dextrose agar. This antibiotic demonstrated good therapeutic efficacy against a systemic Candida infection in mice by both parenteral and po administrations. The 50% protection dose (PD50) values after single iv and po administrations were 10 and 30 mg/kg, respectively. It was also effective in a systemic infection with Cryptococcus neoformans and in both lung and vaginal infections with C. albicans in mice. Cispentacin did not induce acute lethal toxicity at 1,000 mg/kg by iv injection and 1,500 mg/kg by ip and po administrations in mice.