Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42720352›Full record

ArticlemSphere2026

Anti-psychotic drugs act synergistically in combination with antifungal drugs to inhibit drug-resistant

Magali Ayala, Alifia Jakamartana, Rodrigo Mamede Dos Santos Costa, Eric Cheuk-Kiu Cheung, Joseph M Bednarek, Christian T Moreau, Jessica C S Brown

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in mSphere, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Magali AyalaSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Alifia JakamartanaSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Rodrigo Mamede Dos Santos CostaSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Eric Cheuk-Kiu CheungSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Joseph M BednarekSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Christian T MoreauSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Jessica C S BrownSchool of Biological Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-3255-1486

Funding

Training Program in Microbial PathogenesisT32AI055434 · NIAID · UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH · PI MULVEY, MATTHEW A, PLANELLES, VICENTE · 2004 to 2025
$6.0M
University of Utah Genetics Training ProgramT32GM141848 · NIGMS · UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH · PI GOLIC, KENT G, GRUNWALD, DAVID J. · 2021 to 2025
$2.9M
Exploiting synergistic and antagonistic interactions with antifungal drugs to improve disease treatment.R01AI137331 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF UTAH · PI BROWN, JESSICA CONRAD · 2019 to 2022
$1.5M
Targeting a dissemination-prone morphotype to treat fungal meningitisR01AI193169 · NIAID · UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH · PI MARKUS BABST, JESSICA Conrad BROWN · 2026 to 2026
$708k
NIAID NIH HHS R01 AI137331NIAID NIH HHS R01 AI193169NIAID NIH HHS T32 AI055434NIGMS NIH HHS T32 GM141848NIH HHS R01AI137331NIH HHS R01AI193169NIH HHS T32AI055434NIH HHS T32GM141848
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Systemic fungal infections cause an estimated 3.8 million deaths annually, approximately 10% of which are caused by drug-resistant infections. With only five classes of antifungal drugs, treatment options are limited. Here, we explore synergistic drug combinations-when the efficacy of two drugs combined is greater than expected based on the sum of each individual drug's efficacy-to improve treatment of drug-resistant IMPORTANCE: Fungal infections are a large and expensive health burden with high mortality rates. People with compromised immune systems from cancer, solid organ transplant, HIV infection, and other conditions are particularly affected. Systemic fungal infections are difficult to treat because there are few available drugs and treatment periods last months or years. Long treatment times increase the risk of treatment failure and can contribute to the rise of resistance. We identified an additional class of drugs, chlorpromazine and other phenothiazine drugs, that amplify the activity of existing antifungal drugs amphotericin B (AmB) and fluconazole (FLZ). AmB and FLZ act by targeting ergosterol, the fungal equivalent of cholesterol, which is required for a functional plasma membrane. Chlorpromazine increases the formation of lipid drops, which sequester lipids such as ergosterol. When chlorpromazine is combined with AmB, the fungal cell cannot respond to the plasma membrane damage caused by AmB, inhibiting the fungal cells. This work identifies new target processes and drugs that could treat deadly fungal infections.

Indexed as

Antifungal AgentsAntipsychotic AgentsCandida albicansCryptococcus neoformansDrug Resistance, FungalDrug SynergismAmphotericin BChlorpromazineFluconazoleMicrobial Sensitivity TestsAmphotericin BAntifungal AgentsAntipsychotic AgentsChlorpromazineFluconazoleantifungal resistancedrug resistancefungal infectionslipid biosynthesis

Identifiers

PMID42720352
PMCPMC13621842

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.