IN-VITRO SYNERGISM OF CONCENTRATED ALLIUM-SATIVUM EXTRACT AND AMPHOTERICIN-B AGAINST CRYPTOCOCCUS-NEOFORMANS

Allium sativum (garlic) derived preparations are used alone or with am photericin B in Asia to treat human systemic fungal infections and cry ptococcal meningitis. To evaluate the scientific merit of using allici n-derived compounds as an anti-fungal drug, we prepared a concentrated A. sativum extract that contained 34% allicin, 44% total thiosulfinat es, and 20% vinyldithiins. We found that the concentrated extract poss essed potent in vitro fungistatic and fungicidal activity against 3 di fferent isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans. The minimum inhibitory co ncentration of the concentrated garlic extract against 1 x 10(5) organ isms of C. neoformans ranged from 6 to 12 mu g/ml. In addition, in vit ro synergistic fungistatic activity with amphotericin B was demonstrat ed against all isolates of C. neoformans. This study lends laboratory support for the treatment of cryptococcal infections with concentrated garlic extracts.