Antifungal Drugs

Antifungal drugs are used to fight fungal infections. Fungi are eukaryotic organisms as opposed to prokaryotic such as bacteria. This makes it harder to fight fungal infections human cells are eukaryotic as well. Anti-fungal drugs have side effects due to the fact that they are affecting host cells as well as fungi. Anti-fungal drugs are divided into different classes. Polyenes include amphotericin B, which is the most commonly used drug in this class. Polyenes damage fungal membranes by combining with membrane sterols. Amphotericin B is used for histoplasmosis, coccidioidomycosis, and blastomycosis (systemic fungal infections.) The next class of antifungal drugs is imidazoles and triazoles. This class includes miconazole and clotrimazole which are used agatinst cutaneous fungal infections. Other antifungal drugs interfere with DNA and RNA synthesis and come in the form of fatty acids. Antifungal drugs are specific and effective but also have side effects that antibacterial drugs don't. BD, Biohit, and Beckman Coulter supply products used in antifungal drug research.