{{short description|Group of antifungal medications}} thumb|Structure of nikkomycin Z '''Nikkomycins''' are a group of antifungal medications.<ref name=St2003/> They work by interfering with the building of the fungal cell wall which results in the fungal cell breaking open.<ref name=St2003/> They were discovered in 1976.<ref name=St2003/> The nikkomycins were discovered to be highly active against the dimorphic fungi ''Coccidioides immitis'', ''Blastomyces dermatitidis'', and ''Histoplasma capsulatum'', with nikkomycin Z more active than nikkomycin X both ''in vitro'' and ''in vivo'' in mouse models<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hector |first=R. F. |last2=Zimmer |first2=B. L. |last3=Pappagianis |first3=D. |date=April 1990 |title=Evaluation of nikkomycins X and Z in murine models of coccidioidomycosis, histoplasmosis, and blastomycosis |url=https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC171648/ |journal=Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy |volume=34 |issue=4 |pages=587–593 |doi=10.1128/AAC.34.4.587 |issn=0066-4804 |pmc=171648 |pmid=2344165}}</ref>. Nikkomycin Z was also found to interact synergistically with multiple azole antifungals against ''Candida albicans'', both ''in vitro'' and ''in vivo'' in mouse models<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Hector |first=R. F. |last2=Schaller |first2=K. |date=June 1992 |title=Positive interaction of nikkomycins and azoles against Candida albicans in vitro and in vivo |url=https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC190333/ |journal=Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy |volume=36 |issue=6 |pages=1284–1289 |doi=10.1128/AAC.36.6.1284 |issn=0066-4804 |pmc=190333 |pmid=1416829}}</ref>. The specific agent nikkomycin Z has weak activity against ''Aspergillus fumigatus'' which may be of benefit when used with other medications,<ref name=St2003>{{cite journal |last1=Steinbach |first1=WJ |last2=Stevens |first2=DA |title=Review of newer antifungal and immunomodulatory strategies for invasive aspergillosis. |journal=Clinical Infectious Diseases |date=1 October 2003 |volume=37 |issue=Suppl 3 |pages=S157-87 |doi=10.1086/376523 |pmid=12975751|doi-access=free }}</ref> such as caspofungin, ranconazole and amphotericin B, fluconazole or itraconazole.<ref name=Varnava17/> Nikkomycin Z also inhibits growth of ''Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis'', a serious fungal pathogen linked to global amphibian declines, while lower concentrations of Nikkomycin Z enhanced natural amphibian antimicrobial skin peptide effectiveness ''in vitro''.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Holden |first1=Whitney M |last2=Fites |first2=J Scott |last3=Reinert |first3=Laura K |last4=Rollins-Smith |first4=Louise A |title=Nikkomycin Z is an effective inhibitor of the chytrid fungus linked to global amphibian declines |journal=Fungal Biology |date=January 2014 |volume=118 |issue=1 |pages=48–60 |doi=10.1016/j.funbio.2013.11.001 |pmid=24433676 }}</ref> The safety and pharmacokinetics of single doses of nikkomycin Z was evaluated in a Phase I study in humans<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Nix |first=David E. |last2=Swezey |first2=Robert R. |last3=Hector |first3=Richard |last4=Galgiani |first4=John N. |date=June 2009 |title=Pharmacokinetics of nikkomycin Z after single rising oral doses |url=https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2687243/ |journal=Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy |volume=53 |issue=6 |pages=2517–2521 |doi=10.1128/AAC.01609-08 |issn=1098-6596 |pmc=2687243 |pmid=19349517}}</ref>.
Originally identified from ''Streptomyces tendae'', the nikkomycins are chitin synthase inhibitors.<ref name=Varnava17>{{cite journal |last1=Varnava |first1=Kyriakos G. |last2=Ronimus |first2=Ron S. |last3=Sarojini |first3=Vijayalekshmi |title=A review on comparative mechanistic studies of antimicrobial peptides against archaea |journal=Biotechnology and Bioengineering |date=November 2017 |volume=114 |issue=11 |pages=2457–2473 |doi=10.1002/bit.26387|pmid=28734066 |s2cid=25183554 }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
Category:Antifungals