An efficacious period of two topical antifungal drugs was compared in a Trichophyton mentagrophytes-infected onychomycosis model in guinea pigs treated with antifungal drugs prior to infection. Luliconazole 5% (LLCZ) and efinaconazole 10% (EFCZ) test solutions were applied to the animals' nails once daily for 2 weeks followed by a nontreatment period of 2, 4, and 8 weeks. After each nontreatment period, the nails were artificially infected by the fungus. Drug efficacy was quantitatively evaluated by qPCR and histopathological examination of the nails collected following a 4-week post-infection period. The fungal infection was confirmed in the untreated group. Both LLCZ and EFCZ prevented fungal infection in the treated groups with the nontreatment period of 2 weeks. After the nontreatment period of 4 weeks, no infection was observed in the LLCZ-treated group; however, infection into the nail surface and fungal invasion into the nail bed were observed in the EFCZ-treated group. After the nontreatment period of 8 weeks, fungi were found in the nail surface and nail bed in some nails treated with EFCZ; however, no infection was observed in the nail bed of the LLCZ-treated group. The results suggest that LLCZ possesses longer-lasting antifungal effect in nails of the guinea pigs than EFCZ, and that this animal model could be useful for translational research between preclinical and clinical studies to evaluate the pharmacological efficacy of antifungal drugs to treat onychomycosis. This experimentally shown longer-lasting preventive effects of LLCZ could also decrease the likelihoods of onychomycosis recurrence clinically.

中文翻译：

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两种抗真菌药卢立康唑和艾芬康唑在毛癣菌感染豚鼠甲癣模型中预防作用的比较研究。

在感染前用抗真菌药物治疗的豚鼠的须癣毛癣菌感染的甲真菌病模型中比较了两种局部抗真菌药物的有效时间。将 5% 卢立康唑 (LLCZ) 和 10% 依那康唑 (EFCZ) 测试溶液每天一次施用于动物的指甲，持续 2 周，然后是 2、4 和 8 周的非治疗期。在每个非治疗期之后，指甲被真菌人工感染。在感染后 4 周后，通过 qPCR 和组织病理学检查对收集的指甲进行定量评估。在未治疗组中证实真菌感染。LLCZ 和 EFCZ 在治疗组中均预防真菌感染，非治疗期为 2 周。在 4 周的非治疗期后，在 LLCZ 治疗组中未观察到感染；然而，在 EFCZ 治疗组中观察到指甲表面感染和真菌侵入甲床。在8周的非治疗期后，一些用EFCZ治疗的指甲在指甲表面和甲床中发现了真菌；然而，在 LLCZ 治疗组的甲床中没有观察到感染。结果表明，LLCZ 在豚鼠指甲中具有比 EFCZ 更持久的抗真菌作用，并且该动物模型可用于临床前和临床研究之间的转化研究，以评估抗真菌药物治疗甲真菌病的药理作用。实验表明，LLCZ 更持久的预防作用还可以降低临床上甲真菌病复发的可能性。在 EFCZ 治疗组中观察到指甲表面感染和真菌侵入甲床。在8周的非治疗期后，一些用EFCZ治疗的指甲在指甲表面和甲床中发现了真菌；然而，在 LLCZ 治疗组的甲床中没有观察到感染。结果表明，LLCZ 在豚鼠指甲中具有比 EFCZ 更持久的抗真菌作用，并且该动物模型可用于临床前和临床研究之间的转化研究，以评估抗真菌药物治疗甲真菌病的药理作用。实验表明，LLCZ 更持久的预防作用还可以降低临床上甲真菌病复发的可能性。在 EFCZ 治疗组中观察到指甲表面感染和真菌侵入甲床。在8周的非治疗期后，一些用EFCZ治疗的指甲在指甲表面和甲床中发现了真菌；然而，在 LLCZ 治疗组的甲床中没有观察到感染。结果表明，LLCZ 在豚鼠指甲中具有比 EFCZ 更持久的抗真菌作用，并且该动物模型可用于临床前和临床研究之间的转化研究，以评估抗真菌药物治疗甲真菌病的药理作用。实验表明，LLCZ 更持久的预防作用还可以降低临床上甲真菌病复发的可能性。