antifungals Flashcards
candidiasis
- *most common type of mucocutaneous oral fungal infection
- 4th most common organism isolated from US blood cultures
ergosterol
in fungal cell membranes, substitute for cholesterol
amphotericin B general info
MOA
**broadest spectrum of antifungal activity
-polyene antibiotic
**DOC for treating most life threatening systemic fungal infections (candida, aspergillus, cryptococcus)
-usually fungicial, but may be fungistaic depending on pH, concentration, and fungal type
MOA: **binds to ergosterol (a component of fungal cell membranes)
-forms amphotericin B-associated membrane pores (alters membrane permeability, leakage of Na, K, H ions, cell death)
amphotericin B selective toxicity
mammalian cell membranes contain cholesterol rather than ergosterol
- *amph B binds cholesterol to a far lesser extent than ergosterol
- chol binding accounts for most of the adverse effects in humans, toxicities are significant
Amph B resistance
- dev when binding of the drug to ergosterol is impaired
- *when ergosterol concentration in the membrane is decreased (EG upon rx with inhibitors of ergosterol synthesis such as azoles) or when alt. sterols are subbed in membrane
- rare, but can happen with candida species other than c. albicans
Amph B PK
-poorly absorbed from GI tract, oral admin only rx infections in GI tract
-not absorbed from skin or mucous membranes, can be used topically for superficial infections
-used parenterally for systemic infections
not soluble in h20, often reconstituted in deoxycholate s’ln
-slow IV infusion d/t toxicity
**new liposome formulations w less toxicity
-extensively metabolized, metabolites are excreted by kidney over prolonged period
-distribution of amphotericin B varies w formulation, alt. spectrum of toxicity
Amph B adverse effects
- topical: local irritation
- oral: local or mild GI irritation
- *IV: more serious effects: immediate rxn r/t infusion: fever, chills, spasms, vomiting, h/a, hypotension (offset by decreasing infusion or dose)
- can also cause allergic rxn
- *slower toxicities: nephrotoxicity** (nearly always seen to some degree with IV amph B, reduced w liposomal formulation
- anemia due to reduced erythropoetin from renal injury
amph B drug interax
- dig (amph B induced hypokalemia can potentiate)
- *azoles (inhibitors of ergosterol synthesis may induce the dev of amph B resistant fungi)
- *nephrotoxic agents (aminoglycosides, cyclosporine enhance renal tox of amph B)
nystatin general info & uses
polyene antibiotic
- similar to amph B in its chemical properties, MOA, and antifungal activity (somewhat narrower spectrum than amph B)
- *too toxic to be used parenterally
- not appreciably metabolized
**not well absorbed form skin, mucous membranes, or GI tract (limited toxicity)
Uses: primarily used topically to rx candidal infections of mucosa, ski n, GI tract, vagina
**topical nystatin has been a DOC for rx candidal infections of oral cavity, including oral moniliasis, thrus,h, denture stomatitis
nystatin adverse effects
mild when used topically and orally
**bitter and very unpleasant taste
griseofulvin gen info, use, SE
- *mitotic spindle poision
- fungistatic drug
- *interacts with polymerized microtubules to block fungal mitosis
use: oral admin/systemic rx of dermatophytosis (limited use) - need to be aware of its use in pt since it induces CYP isoforms in liver, thereby alt pharm effectiveness of warfarin, contraceptives, etc.
Flucytosine gen info
- synthetic antimycotic agent orally effective in rx of systemic fungal infections (esp candida and cryptococcus)
- fungistatic
- pro-drug
MOA: -when taken up by fungal cells, enzyme cytosine deaminase converts flucytosine into **5-FU, which becomes 5-FdUMP, which competitively inhibits thymidylate synthase to block fungal DNA synthesis
**5FUTP is incorporated into defective RNA, reduces PRO synthesis
flucytosine selective toxicity & uses
- *human cells lack cytosine deaminase, inefficiently convert flucytosine into 5-FU
- uptake by human cells is poor
- poor therapeutic index if used alone (resistance is common)
use: **in combo with amph B to yield a synergistic effect (can use reduced doses) - cryptococcal meningitis and candida infections
flucytosine resistance & PK & SE
**mutations in cytosine permease or deaminase
PK: excellent bioavailibility
- good CNS penetration (meningitis)
- renal excretion
SE: GI intolerance, depresses BM –> anemia, leukopenia, thombocytopenia
azole class members: imidazoles vs triazoles
imidazoles (2N atoms): ketoconazole, miconazole, clotrimazole
triazoles (3N): fluconazole, itraconazole