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Azole drugs used currently attack the fungal membrane and neutralize the fungi.

However, resistance to the existing antifungal drugs is a matter of concern and hence need better methods of drug delivery, so that the medicines for treatment of the infection can be effective.

A team of scientists from Agharkar Research Institute, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science & Technology (DST) have used a chitin synthesis fungicide, Nikkomycin, produced by the bacterial Streptomyces spp. to develop Nikkomycin loaded polymeric nanoparticles.

Chitin is the chief component of fungal cell walls and is absent in the human body. The drug-loaded nanoparticles were found to disrupt the growth of Aspergillus and found effective against fungal infection known as Aspergillosis caused by fungi Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus fumigatus.

The nano-formulation developed was found to be free of cytotoxic and hemolytic effects.

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