Potentiation of antifungal effect of amphotericin B by squalene, an intermediate for sterol biosynthesis.

Abstract
The antifungal effect of a polyene antibiotic amphotericin B (AMB) was almost completely abrogated by exogenous addition of 0.1 .mu.g/ml ergosterol in the medium. The cytocidal effect of AMB on Saccharomyces cerevisiae was synergistically enhanced when cultured for > 4 h with squalene, an obligatory intermediate molecule for sterol formation. No significant increase in cellular level of ergosterol content in the yeast cells fed with squalene could be found.