Anti fungal Medicines Information

 

Brief Of Fungal Infections

Mycotic Infections: Mycotic infections in man can be divided into two main groups: (i) superficial mycoses confined to the epidermis, the hair and the nails; and (ii) deep (systemic) mycoses involving the dermis, bones and viscera. Apart from these, actirnomycetes are a heterogenous group of filamentous organisms, resembling fungi, which grow as mycelia and break into fragments.

Superficial Mycoses: Superficial fungal disease is caused by a variety of fungi. Ringworm (e.g., tinea capitis, tinea corporis, tinea cruris, tinea unguium) is caused by the dermatophytes, classified into three genera—Epidermophyton, Micros porum and Tricophyton—which infect the superficial keratinized tissues, chiefly hair, skin and nails.

Deep Mycoses: Deep fungal disease can be caused by Candida Albicans (Monillia albicans) which is an oval budding yeast-like fungus normally present in the mouth and the gut. It can infect the skin, mucous membranes of the mouth, gut, lungs and the genital tract.
Both superficial and deep mycotic infect are co precipitated by certain predisposing local factors. For superficial disease skin maceration, chafing and occlusive shoes may be the responsible factors.

Classification Of AntiFungal Medications

‘The antifungal drugs may be classified as under

1. Antifungal Griseofulvin Polyenes Medications

   Nystatin, atamycin, Hamycin, Amphotericin B

2. Synthetic Antifungal Medications

   Flucytosine (5-fluorocytosine) Co-tri.moxazole (sulphamathoxazole-trimethoprim) Dapsone Haloprogin Imidazoles: Clotrimazole Miconazole, Econazole, Ketoconazole, Isoconazole, Sulconazole, Tioconazole Triazoles: Fluconazole, Itraconazole.

3. Miscellaneous Antifungal Medications

   Hydroxystilbamidine Potassium iodide, Tolnaftate, Undecylenic acid, Clioquinol, Terbinafine, Ciclopirox olamine, Triacetin, Benzoic and salicylic acid.

Griseofulvin is a systemic agent for treating superficial mycôses, and is effective orally against species of Epidermophyton, Micras and Tricophyton that cause dermatophytic infections.

AntiFungal Nystatin (Mycostatin): Nystatin is active against a number of yeasts and filamentous fungi, but is mainly used for candida albicans infections of the skin and mucous membranes. C. albicans is invariably sensitive, but occasinally a slow step-wise resistance may develop.

AntiFungal Amphotericin B (Fungizone): It is the most important drug for the treatment of systemic fungal infections, and is active against most fungi and yeasts. However, it is a toxic drug and side effects are common.
The effective antifungal spectrum of amphotericin B is the widest of all antifungal agents.

AntiFungal Hamycin (Primamycin): Hamycin is used topically and by mouth in a variety of fun infections including candidiasis, tinea, blastomycosis, and madura foot.

AntiFungal Flucytosine (Alcobon): Its antifungal spectrum is restricted to Crijtococcus neoformans, Candida albicans and some other Candida species, Torulopsis glabrata and Cladosporum species.

AntiFungal Imidazoles: At least three drugs of the imidazole family are useful antifungal agents. Clotrimazole, miconazole nitrate and econazole nitrate are active against almost all pathogenic fungi, and primary resistance is rare.

The antifungal imidazoles have a broad antifungal spectrum which includes Histoplasma capsulatuin, Blastomyces dermatitidis, Cryptococcus neofo.pnans, C. immitis and species of Aspergulus and Candida.

AntiFungal Clotrimazole (Canesten) is used to treat candidiasis, trichomoniasis and dermatophyte infections of the skin and vagina. Sid include local irritation, pruritus, oedema and burning.

AntiFungal Miconazole nitrate (Monistat) is used to treat systemic fihigal infections, candidiasis and dermcztophyte infections, adverse reactions on topical application are irritation, burning, or maceration.

Fluconazole (Diflucan): Fluconazole is an oral triazole antifungal effective against local and systemic candidiasis, and cry ptococcosis (including meningitis. I,n animal models it has been found to be effective against aspergillosis, blastomycosis, and histoplasmosis also.
Itraconazole (Sporanox): Itraconazole is an orally effective agent, active against oropharyngeal and vulvovaginal candidiasi pitijriasis versicolor, and other dermatophyte infections.