Antimycotic activity and phagocytosis effects of econazole in combination with ibuprofen isobuthanolammonium against vaginal strains

Vaginal infections caused by Candida spp., other yeasts and Trichomonas vag inalis are problematic mainly due to the various factors involved in develo pment of infection and to the failure of common treatments. In this study w e investigated the presence of synergistic activity of econazole and ibupro fen isobuthanolammonium against 310 different vaginal isolates, by using th e microdilution broth assay to test in vitro antimicrobial activity and the effect of the two drugs on phagocytosis and intramacrophagic cellular kill ing of mouse peritoneal macrophages. The effect of sub-inhibitory concentra tions of econazole / ibuprofen isobuthanolammonium combination on Candida a lbicans germ tube formation was also evaluated. The in vitro antifungal act ivity of econazole was notably improved by addition of ibuprofen isobuthano lammonium. Macrophage killing of C. albicans was significantly increased by the two drugs and also germ-tube formation was significantly affected. We conclude that the addition of ibuprofen isobuthanolammonium to econazole pr ovides better in vitro antifungal activity. However, further studies are ne eded to elucidate the in vivo action of this formulation.