Although
Nystatin has been used since 1950s as a non-absorbable
antifungal agent, there is still no reliable in-vivo data available stating a dose-effect relationship of
Nystatin-
suspension in the treatment of oropharyngeal
infection with Candida albicans. Here, we studied the efficacy of a commercially available topical
Nystatin suspension in a new ex-vivo model of
candidiasis using porcine oral mucosa. After 48 and 96 h of C. albicans
infection, 230 IU
Nystatin (standard dosage), 100 IU and 20 IU proved to be equally efficacious. Multiple applications of
Nystatin were not superior compared with single application. In dosages of 10 and 0.1 IU the activity of
Nystatin suspension against C. albicans was no longer confirmed. In an
agar diffusion model, the minimal biocidal concentration of
Nystatin proved to be 0.25 IU. Our results suggest that the proposed porcine ex-vivo model is much closer to the in-vivo situation compared with other established in-vitro models of the treatment of muco-
cutaneous candidiasis and may provide a substitute for animal models in the investigation of
antifungal agents. Additionally, it seems to be a valuable tool for further investigations of the pathogenesis of C. albicans
infections.