# Antifungal Efficacy of a Thiazolyl Hydrazone Derivative Incorporated into a Self-Emulsifying Drug Delivery System in a Murine Model of Cryptococcosis

## TL;DR

A new drug delivery system improved the effectiveness of an antifungal compound in treating cryptococcosis in mice.

## Contribution

A self-emulsifying drug delivery system significantly enhanced the antifungal efficacy of RN104 in a murine model.

## Key findings

- SEDDS-RN104 reduced the death event rate by 78% compared to fluconazole.
- The mean survival time was 25 days with SEDDS-RN104 versus 14 days with free RN104.
- Fungal burden in the lungs was significantly reduced in the SEDDS-RN104 group.

## Abstract

2-[2-(Cyclohexylmethylene)­hydrazinyl]-4-phenylthiazole
(RN104)
has shown notable antifungal activity against Cryptococcus species and low toxicity. This study aimed to assess the antifungal
efficacy and survival benefits of RN104 incorporated into a self-emulsifying
drug delivery system (SEDDS-RN104) compared to free RN104 and fluconazole
(FCZ) in a murine model of Cryptococcus neoformans (H99) infection. The results demonstrated that SEDDS-RN104 significantly
enhanced survival rates compared to free RN104 and FCZ, reducing the
event rate (death) by 78% compared to FCZ. The mean survival time
was 25 days in the SEDDS-RN104 group, compared to 14 days for free
RN104 and 19 days for FCZ. Additionally, the fungal burden in the
lungs was markedly reduced in the SEDDS-RN104 group, as confirmed
by histopathological analysis. These findings suggest that SEDDS-RN104
effectively addresses the pharmacokinetic limitations of RN104, enhancing
its antifungal efficacy and positioning it as a promising therapeutic
alternative for cryptococcal infections.