ANNOUNCEMENTS
The growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) highlights the importance of standardized evaluation of existing antifungal agents. This dissertation investigates the antifungal activity of the polyene antibiotic nystatin using Saccharomyces cerevisiae as the model eukaryotic organism. Initial screening was carried out through agar well-diffusion assays to qualitatively assess inhibitory activity. For pharmaceutical relevance, a pharmacopeia' assay of nystatin tablets was conducted in accordance with the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP), and British Pharmacopoeia (BP). A four-point bioassay method was employed, where inhibition zones of reference standards and test samples were compared to calculate potency in International Units (IU). The study followed validated standard operating procedures (SOPS) widely adopted in pharmaceutical microbiology, including standardized inoculum preparation, media validation, incubation conditions, and acceptance criteria for assay reproducibility.
The results confirmed the specific antifungal activity of nystatin against S. cerevisicte, consistent with its mechanism of action via ergosterol binding, pore formation, and subsequent loss of cellular integrity. Actinornycetes were also screened for bioactive metabolites to reinforce the role of microbial sources in antibiotic discovery. This work integrates regulatory-based assay protocols with mechanistic insights, emphasizing the critical role of validated methods in ensuring the quality and efficacy of antifungal drug products.
