Scientists from Syracuse University have created new brominated furanones an antifungal compound that may help to check deadly fungal infections.
The drugs may also be effective against the most dangerous fungus Candida albicans, which is found in 75percent of the people.
Assistant professor Dacheng Ren of the Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering in SU’s L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science, said: “These new furanones have the potential to control such infections and save lives.
“In our tests, they reduced fungal growth by more than 80 percent, and we hope to improve on that going forward.” Ren says
The study found that furanones have different genetic targets than the presently used anti-fungal agents and this may also help to remove any drug resistance acquired in the past Ren and chemistry professor Yan-Yeung Luk of SU’s College of Arts and Sciences, have now applied for a non-provisional patent.
The research has appeared in the Journal of Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology.
Over the past 20 years, pathogenic fungi have developed growing resistance to anti-fungal drugs. This stimulated a strong demand for more effective drugs and led to the successful research at Syracuse. The researchers’ genomic study suggests that furanones have different genetic targets than current anti-fungal agents and thus may avoid drug resistance acquired in the past.
The research team has also shown previously that these furanones inhibit bacterial biofilm formation; thus they may help control chronic infections where biofilms often appear, on surgical, dental and other implants.
Ongoing furanones research at Syracuse University will investigate a broad spectrum of other potential capabilities, ranging from diverse medical uses, such as controlling bacterial and fungal biofilms, to anti-fungal wood preservatives for the building materials market