Amphotericin b cochleates as a novel oral delivery system for the treatment of funcal infections

摘要

Amphotericin B (AmB) is a highly hydrophobic drug used to treat systemic fungal infections and remains the principal therapeutic choice for deep mycoses. However, its application is limited by toxicity and a route of administration requiring slow intravenous injection (1). An oral formulation of this drug is highly desirable to treat acute infections and provide prophylactic therapy. Cochleates are a novel lipid-based delivery system that have been used to delivery protein, peptide and DNA for vaccine and gene therapy applications (2a,b). Cochleates have also the potential for oral administration of hydrophobic drugs. They are stable phospholipid-cation crystallien structures consisting of a spiral lipid bilayer sheet with no internal aqueous space.