Anti-Candida Activity of YH-1715R, a New Triazole Derivative

YH-1715R, (2R,3R)-2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-3-(3-methoxy-1,2,4-isothiazol-3-yl-thio)-1-( 1H-1,2,4-triazol-l-yl)-2-butanol, a new triazole derivative obtained by the structural modification of fluconazole, was found to exhibit potent anti-Candida activity against a wide variety of Candida albicans (C. albicans) (MIC: 0.4-12.5 mg/l). To investigate the mode of action of YH-1715R, its effect on ergosterol biosynthesis in cell-free extracts and whole cells of C. albicans was examined. The inhibitory activity of YH-1715R was approximately ten-fold higher than that of fluconazole. To determine the primary action mechanism of YH-1715R, its inhibitory activity against lanosterol $14\alpha$-demethylase (14$\alpha$-DM), a major target for azole, was measured using gas-liquid chromatography. YH-1715R and fluconazole were found to inhibit 14a-DM with an $IC_{50}$ of 0.015 $\mu$M and 0.01$8\mu$M, respectively, plus the mode of inhibition of YH-1715R and fluconozole was noncompetitive with a $K_i$ of 0.0533$\mu$M and 0.0975$\mu$M.