In vitro and in vivo antifungal activity of cetrimide (cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide) against fungal keratitis caused by Fusarium solani

Summary Mycotic keratitis is a devastating eye infection acquired after eye injury. Cetrimide at 15 and 20 mg ml −1 produced no surviving Fusarium solani growth with minimal inhibitory concentration value of 0.10 mg ml −1 . Topical administration of three drops (0.3 ml) of cetrimide aqueous solution of 10 mg ml −1 at pH 6.4 three times daily succeeded to cure human severe resistant F. solani keratitis in a time course of <3 weeks, and with complete healing after 6 weeks. Cetrimide‐treated rabbit corneas section appeared with normal compact epithelium and endothelium with no vacuolation in Descemet's endothelial complex: an indication that cetrimide has no significant toxic effects. So, cetrimide at 10 mg ml −1 may be effective and safe topical therapy in patients with mycotic keratitis, especially F. solani ulcers. Currently, there is no antimycotic drug with a good corneal penetration, which is safe and has a fungicidal activity.