Elaiophylin is a macrodiolide antibiotic that can be isolated from various strains of Streptomyces. It displays in vitro anti-protozoal activity against both Plasmodium and Trypanosoma (IC50s = 370 and 460 ng/ml, respectively) and cytotoxicity against human fetal lung fibroblast MRC-5 cells (IC50 = 870 ng/ml). Elaiophylin alone has no activity against Candida, although it enhances the anti-fungal activity of rapamycin . Elaiophylin also forms stable, long-lasting ion channels in bilayer membranes that are selective for cations.
