Medication for fungal infection

Because of previous inflammatory infections or other factors, fungal infections may occur in the human body. Most patients with fungal infections are contagious, so you should be careful not to place towels you use randomly, including some personal items, and not mix them with family members. You must wash your hands after going to the toilet or cleaning wounds. What are the medicines for fungal infections?

Antifungal drugs Fungal infections can be divided into two categories: superficial fungal infections and deep fungal infections. Superficial infections are caused by tinea fungi invading the skin, hair, nails and other body surfaces. They have a high incidence rate but are less harmful. Deep fungal infection is caused by Candida and Cryptococcus invading internal organs and deep tissues. It has a low incidence rate but great harm. Among all the drugs against deep fungal infections, only fluconazole and flucytosine can penetrate the blood-brain barrier and treat central fungal infections.

Commonly used antifungal drugs are divided into drugs for treating superficial fungal infections according to their site of action, including undecylenic acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, salicylic acid, griseofulvin, candida albicans, clotrimazole, miconazole, econazole, bifonazole, ketoconazole, etc. Drugs for deep fungal infections include flucytosine, amphotericin B, nystatin, erythromycin, mepamoic acid (meparin, clotrimazole), fluconazole (Diflucan, Manifen, Ilican), itraconazole (Sporanox), etc. According to the structure, they are divided into organic acids, polyenes, nitrogen azoles, allylamines (such as terbinafine), etc.

effect

Drugs that inhibit or kill fungi. In addition to some old antifungal topical drugs such as salicylic acid, resorcinol, iodine, sulfur, etc., new drugs with significant antifungal effects include two categories: antibiotics and synthetic drugs.

①Antibiotics. The main ones are griseofulvin, nystatin and amphotericin B. Griseofulvin is only effective for dermatophyte diseases, mainly tinea capitis, tinea corporis, tinea cruris, onychomycosis of the hands and feet, etc. When taken orally, a course of treatment is 20 to 30 days, and it needs to be combined with topical anti-tinea drugs. Long-term use may cause a small number of superficial fungi to develop drug-resistant strains, which can be replaced by ketoconazole.

Nystatin is used to treat gastrointestinal candidiasis and is applied topically to treat candidal infections of the skin and mucous membranes. It can also be made into a suppository. Amphotericin B is mainly used to treat deep fungal diseases, such as systemic candidiasis, cryptococcosis, aspergillosis, zygomycosis, blastomycosis, Brazilian paracoccidioidomycosis, coccidioidomycosis and histoplasmosis. Add this drug to 5% glucose solution and slowly drip intravenously.

②Synthetic drugs. Including: imidazole drugs (such as clotrimazole, econazole, miconazole and ketoconazole, etc.), flucytosine, and allylamine derivatives. 5-Fluorocytosine treats candidiasis, cryptococcosis, and chromoblastomycosis. Clotrimazole, econazole and miconazole are basically for external use. Miconazole can also be given intravenously. Ketoconazole can also be taken orally. When used externally, it is mainly used to treat skin fungal diseases and cutaneous candidiasis. Oral and intravenous infusions are mainly used to treat deep and superficial fungal diseases.

Antifungal drugs can easily affect white blood cells and liver function. Long-term use can cause a transient increase in GPT or a decrease in white blood cells, which can be cured by stopping the drug. 5-Fluorocytosine is excreted in the urine. It may accumulate in the blood and cause poisoning in patients with poor renal function. Therefore, it should be prohibited or used with caution in patients with poor renal function. Amphotericin B can damage the kidneys and cause a decrease in blood potassium. Some people may experience chills or fever, and a few people may develop thrombophlebitis. Ketoconazole should be used with particular caution in patients with liver damage. Long-term use can cause a decrease in blood androgen levels and suppression of adrenal sebum function.