> NySTATin just hinders the fungus multiplication, as long as it's present.
> The killing itself has still to be done by the imune system or the symbiont
> flora.
>
"Nystatin acts by binding
 to sterols in the cell membrane of sensitive fungi with a resultant
change in membrane permeability allowing leakage of
 intracellular components"
(From US drug and prescription info at RX Med.com)

Very un-technically speaking, Nystatin doesn't outright kill candida,
but it makes it "get sick and die.  It's any of those some 70 mycotoxins
that spill out of the dead cells that plague the host organism with all
those nasty symptoms.  And the immune system goes after all that waste
in one way or another, sometimes good, sometimes defective
(Inflammation, allergies, autoimmune reactions or clean-up--I, and I'm
sure most folks with this  problem, have an extremely high monocyte
count.  Being a researcher yourself, I'm guessing you know that
monocytes are the guys that clean up the "die-off" garbage.).

> I've been told, that Nystatin too causes the fungus to change form and
> location (as you described it), just to show up later again.
> Later on the natural regime will establish again.
>
Yes, that's what I've found.  That's why practitioners have the patient
on three different anti-fungals at once and for an extended period of
time, as each one is not effective against all of the many strains of
candida.  The spore cycles are said to last 13 - 14 weeks, but many
patients need a year or more treatment to get at those stubborn colonies
that hide in the nooks and crannies of the gut or extremities.  Another
option is to rotate natural anti-fungals, so that the yeasts do not
develop resistant strains (I tried this--apparently not strong
enough...for me, at least).  At the same time, they have you on a
low-carb diet, quality probiotics and immune-enhancing supplements (to
cover the deficiencies created by those little buggers that suck up your
nutrients and cause malabsorption).  If the immune system is
strengthened at the same time as maintaining the low-carb diet and
anti-fungal therapy, chances are--with persistance--strong immunity will
prevent a reinfestation.  (It apparently has worked for many.)    As you
said, the unfortunate vicious cycle is that persistant yeast weakens
immunity, allowing more yeast to proliferate, and so on and so on.  Add
steroids or antibiotics or sugars and it starts all over again.

Candida overgrowth will manifest in the following general areas ranked
in order of significance:

   1.gastrointestinal and urinary tract disorders
   2.allergic reactions
   3.mental and emotional disturbances
   4.endocrine system compromise and eventual exhaustion

from Novus Research Report No. A-66013 "Candida
Albicans and Inflammatory Bowel Disease". [Full report available by mail
- see Novus Reports section -Ed]

> I think that establishing the right gut flora of symbionts is a main
> point in fighting yeast infections. And a well founded supply on the energy
> vitamins, that the body can properly process it's own energy.
>
Agreed.  But it's a very tough thing to do, believe me.  I've been
working on it for 4 years now and still don't have it right yet!

> To avoid dysbiosis (and establishing flora) many points have been mantioned
> by natural doctors, like:
> - a high fiber diet (seems to encourace the symbionts)
> - eating some plants containing strong toxins (mainly for bad bugs)
>   like garlic,raddish, origanum, several strong herbs.
>   Even several antinutrients may be among the necessary ones.
>   E.g. phytin (which is even available as a drug) or lectins.
> ....
>
Been there, done that.

> And then some time has to pass to allow good bugs to creep in.
> If not one symbiont cell is present, it can't multiply.
> I didn't hear about such bacteria implantations yet, as you described.
>
This webpage has a table that shows some of the beneficial bacteria
strains tested that are either transient or that "persist in the
intestinal mucosa":

http://www.phototour.minneapolis.mn.us/candida/summary.html

You're quite ambitious getting into all that Krebs Cycle stuff (yawn),
Amadeus.  I just wanna go outside and play! (instead of reading about
all this biochemical, microbiological stuff.)

Lois