Pharmaceutica Analytica Acta

Abstract

Effect of Amphotericin B Nanodisks on Leishmania major Infected Mice

Cole PA, Bishop JV, Beckstead JA, Titus R and Ryan RO

Objective: To assess the efficacy of a novel formulation of the polyene antibiotic, amphotericin B (AMB), as
therapy for cutaneous leishmaniasis in different mouse strains.
Methods: (AMB), was formulated into water-soluble transport particles, termed nanodisks (ND). Balb/c and CH3
mice infected with Leishmania major on Day 0 were administered vehicle alone, empty ND or AMB-ND on Day 1 and
day 7, via the tail vein. Mice were sacrificed 25 or 50 days post inoculation and tissue histology evaluated. Balb/c
mice treated with vehicle or empty ND showed signs of severe infection whileCH3 mice had less inflammation and
fewer parasites. AMB-ND treatment (2 mg/kg) had a marked therapeutic effect on L. major infected Balb/c mice and
a discernable therapeutic benefit on CH3 mice.
Conclusions: AMB-ND is efficacious in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis in both susceptible and
resistant mouse strains. It may be inferred that AMB-ND may be useful for prophylactic and/or treatment of early
stage Leishmania spp. infection.