Search for novel antifungal agents by monitoring fungal metabolites in presence of synthetically designed fluconazole derivatives using NMR spectroscopy

Resistance to currently available antifungal drugs necessitates development of new drugs using rapid, robust and automated methods to test a large number of newly synthesized drugs in less time. We have compared the effect of ketoconazole, fluconazole and its synthesized analogues on Candida albicans ATCC 10231. A metabolic profile of C.albicans ATCC 10231 in presence of drugs has been compared using 1H NMR. Signals from metabolites have been monitored with time. MIC determined using conventional methods has been compared with Metabolic End Point (MEP) obtained from NMR spectroscopy. Results indicate that the activity of the fluconazole derivatives is in the order fluconazole p-methoxybenzoate > fluconazole = fluconazole benzoate > fluconazole toluate > fluconazole p-nitrobenzoate.