Potential of Thermophilic Fungus Rhizomucor pusillus NRRL 28626 in Biotransformation of Antihelmintic Drug Albendazole

In the present investigation, thermophilic fungus Rhizomucor pusillus was used to study biotransformation of antihelmintic drug albendazole to produce its active metabolite, albendazole sulfoxide and novel metabolites of commercial interest. A two-stage fermentation procedure was followed for biotransformation of albendazole. The transformation was identified and structures were confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Four metabolites albendazole sulfoxide, the active metabolite, albendazole sulfone, N-methyl metabolite of albendazole sulfoxide, and a novel metabolite were produced. The study demonstrates the biotransformation ability of thermophilic fungus R. pusillus NRRL28626 in the production of, the active metabolite of albendazole which has industrial and economic importance, other metabolites and a novel metabolite in an ecofriendly way.