The polyene macrolide antibiotics have been used in an-tifungal therapy since first o f them were discovered in 1950's. Up to now, four polyene macrolides are being used in medical practice, namely amphotericin B, nystatin, candi-cidin and pimaricin.The antifungal activity and mode of ac-tion of polyene macrolides is determined by their structure, chemical and physical properties.The main fragment of polyene...

Polyene macrolides are one of the groups of secondary metabolites, generated by microorganisms belonging to the Streptomyces genus. These compounds, containing 3 - 7 conjugated double bonds systems in their molecules exhibit high antifungal activity against a broad spectrum of fungal pathogens with heptaenes demonstrating the highest antifungal potential. At the large extent, efficiency of biosynthesis of these natural products...

Aromatic heptaene macrolides (AHMs) belong to the group of polyene macrolide antifungal antibiotics. Members of this group were the first to be used in the treatment of systemic fungal infections. Amphotericin B (AmB), a non-aromatic representative of heptaene macrolides, is of significant clinical importance in the treatment of internal mycoses. It includes the all-trans heptaene chromophore, whereas the native AHMs contain two...

In the class of polyene macrolides, there is a subgroup of aromatic heptaenes, which exhibit the highest antifungal activity within this type of antibiotics. Yet, due to their complex nature, aromatic heptaenes were not extensively studied and their potential as drugs is currently underexploited. Moreover, there are many inconsistencies in the literature regarding the composition and the structures of the individual components...

Partricin is a heptaene macrolide antibiotic complex that exhibits exceptional antifungal activity, yet poor selective toxicity, in the pathogen/host system. It consists of two compounds, namely partricin A and B, and both of these molecules incorporate two cis-type bonds within their heptaenic chromophores: 28Z and 30Z. In this contribution, we have proven that partricins are susceptible to a chromophore-straightening photoisomerization...