Hamycin treatment of candidiasis in normal and diabetic rats.

Hamycin, a heptaene antifungal antibiotic was compared with amphotericin B in the treatment of established systemic infection with Candida albicans in normal and diabetic rats. In normal rats, orally administered hamycin at 10 mg kg(-1) per day for 7 days reduced Candida colony counts in the kidneys and livers as well as amphotericin B did and was nearly as effective as amphotericin B in a 21-day treatment trial. There was no further reduction in Candida colony counts when normal rats were treated with hamycin at 25 mg kg(-1) twice a day for 7 days. In streptozotocin induced diabetic rats, hamycin at 20 mg kg(-1) per day for either 7 or 21 days compared favourably with amphotericin B in efficacy. Results of the present study suggest that oral hamycin may be useful in the treatment of established disseminated candidiasis in normal as well as diabetic hosts.