The effects of saperconazole on the morphology of Candida albicans, Pityrosporum ovale and Trichophyton rubrum in vitro.

Fungal cultures were incubated for various periods of time with saperconazole at concentrations ranging from 10(-10) to 10(-5) M: Candida albicans (4 and 24 h), Pityrosporum ovale (2 and 7 days), and Trichophyton rubrum (1, 2, 3, 7 and 14 days). At the end of the incubation period, fungal morphology was compared with that of control cultures by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. In all three species, major ultrastructural changes were seen from concentrations of 10(-8) to 10(-7) M saperconazole onwards, depending on the species and time of incubation. The main changes were inhibition of hyphal outgrowth (C. albicans), abortive hyphal outgrowth (T. rubrum) and deposition of electron-dense vesicles in a thickened cell wall (C. albicans, T. rubrum). In P. ovale, a direct, necrotizing action was seen without concomitant wall changes.