Summary Anti-fungal medicines

Anti-fungal medicines

Azoles

- The most common antifungal drugs, which interfere with the enzyme involved in fungal cell
membrane synthesis, resulting in cell leakage, eventually leading to cell death

- There are two main types of azoles: imidazoles and triazoles

- Imidazoles can be used to treat blastomycosis, Candida infections and histoplasmosis
among other conditions, and include Ketoconazole, Clotrimazole and Miconazole

- Triazoles are used to treat infections such as aspergillosis, mucosal and invasive Candida
infection and coccidiomycosis, they include Fluconazole, Itraconazole, Posaconazole,
Voriconazole and Isavuconazole



Polyenes

- Polyenes kill fungal cells by making the cell wall more porous, increasing susceptibility of
bursting

- Used to treat various infections, such as aspergillosis, cryptococcosis, histoplasmosis and
Candida infections

- Examples of polyenes include Amphotericin B and Nystatin



Allylamines

- Similar to azole anti-fungals, allylamines interfere with the enzymatic synthesis of fungal
cell membrane

- An example is Terbinafine, which is often used in the treatment of fungal infections of the
skin



Echinocandins

- These are a newer type of anti-fungal drug which inhibits the enzyme involved with the
formation of the cell wall

- Used to treat mucosal and invasive Candida infections and aspergillosis

- Examples include Anidulafungin, Caspofungin and Micafungin