TY - JOUR ID - TI - Role of Omeprazole as An Antifungal Agent AU - Omar A. Al-Mukhtar AU - Suhad A. Ahmad AU - Raya R. Jabri AU - Ali A. Juwaied PY - 2011 VL - 29 IS - 2 SP - 336 EP - 340 JO - Engineering and Technology Journal مجلة الهندسة والتكنولوجيا SN - 16816900 24120758 AB - The antifungal activity of various concentrations of omeprazole (0.1mg/ml,0.25mg/ml, 0.5mg/ml, 1mg/ml, 2.5mg/ml, 5mg/ml, 10mg/ml, and 20mg/ml) werestudied in different pH media (5 and 7) against Aspergillus niger, andTrichophyton urbrum.The laboratory results showed the inhibitory effect ofomeprazole against Aspergillus niger at pH 7 and starting from concentration10mg/ml, and against Trichophyton urbrum starting from 1mg/ml. While itsantifungal activity in a medium with pH 5 was extended to reach the lowerconcentrations 0.25mg/ml against selected fungi. Accordingly, omeprazole is pHdependent.It seems that omeprazole changed cell membrane potential of selectedfungal species which led to depolarization of cell membrane as a result ofinhibition of the proton pump mechanism. This made the fungal cell not willing touptake chemicals needed for living.Keywords: omeprazole, proton pump inhibitor,antifungal agent, Aspergillus niger, and Trichophyton urbrum.

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