Research progress in combined application of traditional Chinese medicines and antifungal agents in treating Cryptococcus infections

Abstract:

Cryptococcus, a genus of invasive fungi with global distribution, have caused serious public health problems. Notably, Cryptococcus neoformans (Cryptococcus neoformans, C. neoformans) represents the main pathogenic species of Cryptococcus. The infection of C. neoformans can cause pulmonary cryptococcosis and cryptococcal meningitis with high mortality rates. The commonly used antifungal drugs are polyenes, flucytosine, echinocandins, and azoles, which have limited efficacy and may induce resistance when being used alone in clinical practice. Therefore, researchers have studied combined therapy. They have discovered that the combinations of some traditional Chinese medicines and natural plant extracts and derivatives with the commonly used antifungal drugs demonstrate synergistic effects in the treatment of cryptococcosis. This paper reviews the research progress in the combined application of antifungal drugs and traditional Chinese medicines.