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AntifungalsAn antifungal drug is medication used to treat fungal infectionssuch as athlete's foot, ringwormand candidiasis(thrush), as well as serious systemic infections like cryptococcalmeningitis. List of antifungal drugsAntifungals work by exploiting differences between mammalian and fungal cells to kill off the fungal organism without significantly harming the host. Unlike bacteria, both fungiand humans are eukaryotes. The basic structure of a fungal cellsand human cells are nearly identical. This means it is more difficult to find a target for an antifungal medication to attack that does not also exist in the infected organism. Consequently, there are often side-effectsto these drugs. There are several classes of antifungal drugs. The polyene antibioticsbind with sterolsin the fungal cell wall, principally ergosterol. This causes the cell's contents to leak out and the cell dies. Animal cells contain cholesterolinstead of ergosterol and so they are much less susceptible.
The imidazoleand triazolegroups of antifungal drugs inhibit the enzymecytochrome P450 14α-demethylase. This enzyme converts lanosterolto ergosterol, and is required in fungal cell wall synthesis. These drugs also block steroidsynthesis in humans. Imidazoles:
The triazoles are newer, and are less toxic and more effective:
Allylamines inhibit the enzymesqualene epoxidase, another enzyme required for ergosterol synthesis:
Echinocandinsinhibit the synthesis of glucanin the cell wall, probably via the enzyme1,3-β glucan synthase:
Others:
Dandruff shampoosAntifungal drugs are often found in dandruffshampoos. Among the most common are pyrithione zincand selenium sulfide.de:Antimykotikum fr:Antimycosique Categories: Antifungals
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