antifungal

Question 1

Targets for effective antifungal therapy

Answer 1

• Unqiue targets
  
  • fungal cell membrane (ergosterol and ergosterol synthesis)
  • fungal cell wall (Glucans
• Shared targets
  
  • DNA/RNA synthesis
  • cell division

Question 2

What drugs are used in the TX of systemic infections

Answer 2

• Polyenes (amphotericin B)
• Azoles (most of them)
• Flucytosine
• Echinocandins

Question 3

describe Liposomal packaged formulation of Amphotericin B

Answer 3

• Less toxic
• Formualtion result in less interactions of the drug with mammalian cell membranes, thereby decreasing toxicity
  
  • amphotericin B binds to lipid in delivery vehicle with an affinity between that for fungal ergosterol and that for human cholesterol
  • lipid vehicle serves as reservoir of drug
  • reducing nonspecific binding to human cell membranes