Biotransformation on nitazoxanide by filamentous fungi - a microbial model to mammalian metabolism

Filamentous fungi exhibit a complex morphology and can display various shapes depending on the species and environment. These characteristics serve as advantages in biotransformation studies by allowing substances to undergo processes that lead to the production of both existing metabolites and new compounds with potential pharmacological activity. In this regard, the biotransformation of drugs using microorganisms emerges as an economical and ecologically viable strategy for modifying the structures of biologically active compounds, studying the metabolism of molecules, and eliminating or reducing their toxicity. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the biotransformation capacity of the drug nitazoxanide by the endophytic fungi Aspergillus niger ATCC 9029 and Cunninghamella elegans ATCC 9245. High-performance liquid chromatography was employed to monitor metabolite formation, while ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with sequential mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF/MS) was utilized to identify these metabolites. After an incubation period of 240 hours, nitazoxanide was transformed into two metabolites by C. elegans. A. niger demonstrated a consumption rate of 94.17% for nitazoxanide, with two additional metabolites identified. This study highlights the potential of using fungi both as a model for metabolism and as a means of producing metabolites on a larger scale, while also identifying a new and significant area of application for the biotransformation approaches involving filamentous fungi.