In vitro antifungal activities of amphotericin B and liposome-encapsulated amphotericin B.

The in vitro activities of liposome-encapsulated amphotericin B and free amphotericin B against Candida albicans 336 were comparable. Amphotericin B concentrations 12-fold and greater than 50-fold higher were required to kill the same organism when cholesterol and ergosterol were incorporated into the liposomes. The addition of cholesterol to liposomes caused a significant increase in the minimal fungicidal concentration of amphotericin B in 7 of 19 other yeast strains tested, whereas ergosterol caused an increase in 18 of the 19 strains.