Higher oral efficacy of ravuconazole in self-nanoemulsifying systems in shorter treatment in experimental chagas disease

Abstract

We investigated the in vitro activity and selectivity, and in vivo efficacy of ravuconazole (RAV) in self-nanoemulsifying delivery system (SNEDDS) against Trypanosoma cruzi. Novel formulations of this poorly soluble C14-α-demethylase inhibitor may improve its efficacy in the experimental treatment. In vitro activity was determined in infected cardiomyocytes and efficacy in vivo evaluated in terms of parasitological cure induced in Y and Colombian strains of T. cruzi-infected mice. In vitro RAV-SNEDDS exhibited significantly higher potency of 1.9-fold at the IC₅₀ level and 2-fold at IC₉₀ level than free-RAV. No difference in activity with Colombian strain was observed in vitro. Oral treatment with a daily dose of 20 mg/kg for 30 days resulted in 70% of cure for RAV-SNEDDS versus 40% for free-RAV and 50% for 100 mg/kg benznidazole in acute infection (T. cruzi Y strain). Long-term treatment efficacy (40 days) was able to cure 100% of Y strain-infected animals with both RAV preparations. Longer treatment time was also efficient to increase the cure rate with benznidazole (Y and Colombian strains). RAV-SNEDDS shows greater efficacy in a shorter time treatment regimen, it is safe and could be a promising formulation to be evaluated in other pre-clinical models to treat T. cruzi and fungi infections.

Keywords: Colombian strain; Efficacy; Ravuconazole; Self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system; Toxicity; Trypanosoma cruzi; Y strain.