Invasive fungal infections have become a growing global health threat, claiming more than 6.5 million lives annually. One of the major causes is Candida albicans, which has a mortality rate of up to 53.15 percent. This situation has become increasingly concerning due to the rising resistance to azole antifungal drugs such as fluconazole, thereby limiting available treatment options.
Responding to this challenge, a team of students from Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), through the Student Creativity Program (PKM), has developed an innovative solution using antipsychotic drugs as an alternative therapy. This approach, known as drug repurposing, involves using existing medications for new therapeutic indications.
“The current treatment options are limited. When resistance occurs, patients must switch to more expensive drugs with higher risks of side effects, such as amphotericin B. Therefore, we explored the potential of antipsychotic drugs as an alternative,” said Ni Komang Wijayanti Sinta Dewi, one of the team members, on Friday (Oct. 3) at UGM.
In their research, the team selected four types of antipsychotic drugs already available in Indonesia and covered under the National Health Insurance (JKN) scheme, such as haloperidol, chlorpromazine, fluphenazine, and olanzapine.
“These drugs are more affordable and have shown strong potential as antifungal agents and chemosensitizers, enhancing the effectiveness of fluconazole against resistant strains,” she explained.
The research process involved several stages, including molecular docking to predict compound–protein interactions responsible for resistance, solid diffusion tests to evaluate antifungal inhibition, and chemosensitization assays to assess the synergistic effects between antipsychotics and fluconazole.
The team also conducted MIC90 (Minimum Inhibitory Concentration) testing to measure the inhibitory effectiveness against resistant strains.
Preliminary findings indicate that antipsychotic drugs have the potential to inhibit the resistance mechanisms of Candida albicans while simultaneously enhancing fluconazole’s efficacy.
These results open new possibilities for developing more effective, affordable, and rapidly deployable antifungal therapies without undergoing lengthy new drug development processes.
“Through drug repurposing, we can optimize existing medications, making the process more efficient and immediately applicable. We hope this can offer a real solution to the escalating issue of fungal resistance,” Dewi added.
Author: Kezia Dwina Nathania
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya
Photographs: PKM UGM Team on Antipsychotic Drug