Fungal keratitis is a corneal fungal infection that potentially leads to blindness and is mainly caused by filamentous fungi, such as Fusarium, with limited drug options available, such as natamycin and voriconazole. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of the imidazole antifungal drug-luliconazole-using a rabbit experimental model of fungal keratitis caused by Fusarium solani, which is the dominant causative agent of fungal keratitis. F. solani was inoculated into rabbit corneas. luliconazole 1% suspension or natamycin 5% eye drops were administered four times a day (N = 6 for each group) 3 days after inoculation. Signs were scored up to 14 days after inoculation to evaluate the efficacy of the drugs. Compared with the peak mean sign scores of the placebo control group, there was a significant decrease in the mean sign scores of both the treatment groups (P < 0.05). Sign score trends were similar between the two treatment groups. In conclusion, luliconazole demonstrated therapeutic efficacy comparable to that of natamycin in treating experimental fungal keratitis. This suggests that luliconazole can be a novel therapeutic agent for human fungal keratitis.
Keywords: Fungal keratitis; Fusarium solani; Luliconazole; Natamycin.
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