RELEASE OF AMPHOTERICIN-B FROM DELIVERY SYSTEMS AND ITS ACTION AGAINST FUNGAL AND MAMMALIAN-CELLS

Spectroscopic studies of four amphotericin B (AmB) lipid preparations- small negatively charged unilamellar vesicles ''AmBisome'', positively charged oligolamellar liposomes ''Ampholiposomes'', AmB Lipid Complex ''L-AmpB33''-and AmB association with gamma cyclodextrin demonstrated that the composition of drug delivery system directly influences AmB organization, The aggregation state and release in external medium of AmB was monitored by circular dichroism and UV-visible absorption. AmB short-term activity against Candida albicans (K+ leakage) was found t o be correlated with the amount of free AmB released from lipid prepar ations, These data seem to indicate that lipid composition influences anti-Candida albicans activity, by modulation of AmB binding to lipids .