Effects of diethyldithiocarbamate and structural analogs in mice with systemic candidal infections.

Three different substituted dithiocarbamates: sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC), sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate (DmDTC), and sodium N-methyl-D-glucamine dithiocarbamate (NMG-DTC) were evaluated for their ability to combat the growth and development of three human pathogenic strains of Candida albicans, in vitro and in vivo, in mice. DDTC and DmDTC produced marked growth inhibition on agar plates, in vitro, of three different strains of Candida albicans, while NMG-DTC displayed little inhibitory effect. Low, nontoxic doses of each compound administered to immunosuppressed mice exhibited impressive therapeutic effects in treating candidiasis. NMG-DTC showed the best consistent therapeutic antifungal effect against Candida albicans in mice immunosuppressed with Solu-Medrol. Combinations of low doses of DDTC and Amphotericin-B appeared to be effective in treating systemic candidal infections, and the results suggested that these combinations may offer therapeutic advantages over those produced by the use of either agent alone.