(Ch 42) Antifungal Drugs Flashcards
What is the structure of a fungus?
Fungi are eukaryotic organisms with rigid cell walls that contain chitin as well as polysaccharides.
What is a mycosis?
Fungal infection which can be divided into
three groups:
- systemic mycoses,*
- subcutaneous mycoses,*
- superficial mycoses.*
Name seven drugs used for
systemic and subcutaneous mycoses.
- Amphotericin B (Fungizone)
- Flucytosine (Ancobon)
- Ketoconazole (Nizoral)
- Fluconazole (Diflucan)
- Itraconazole (Sporanox)
- Voriconazole (VFEND)
- Caspofungin (Cancidas)
Name the 5 different
CLASSIFICATION OF ANTIFUNGAL DRUGS
- Polyene Antibiotics
- Azole Derivatives
- Allylamine Drugs
- Echinocandin Drugs
- Other Antifungal Drugs
Name all
Polyene Antibiotics
Amphotericin B
(ABELCET, AMBISOME, AMPHOTEC)
Name all 6
Azole Derivatives:
- Clotrimazole (GYNE-LOTRIMIN, MYCELEX)b
- Fluconazole (DIFLUCAN)
- traconazole (SPORANOX)
- Ketoconazole (NIZORAL)
- Voriconazole (VFEND)
- Posaconazole (NOXAFIL)
Name all
Allylamine Drugs
• Terbinafine (LAMISIL)c
Name all
Echinocandin Drugs
• Caspofungin (CANCIDAS)d
Name all
“Other Antifungal Drugs”
- Ciclopirox (LOPROX)
- Flucytosine (ANCOBON)
- Griseofulvin (GRIS-PEG)
- Tolnaftate (TINACTIN)
Systemic mycoses
can cause?
Systemic mycoses can cause
signs and symptoms of:
soft tissue infection, urinary tract infection, pneumonia, meningitis, or septicemia
The systemic mycoses are most commonly caused by members of the genera?
Aspergillus
Blastomyces
Candida
Coccidioides
Cryptococcus
Histoplasma
Echinocandin Drugs
What is the MOA
Ex. of the drug
Cyclic hexapeptide compounds that inhibit
fungal cell wall sysntesis
ex: Caspofungin
AMPHOTERICIN B
What is the classification of this drug?
Amphotericin B is a
polyene antibiotic
AMPHOTERICIN B
What is its importance?
It is the drug of choice for treating many
systemic mycotic infections.
- Provide examples of*
- Systemc mycotic infections:*
signs and symptoms of soft tissue infection:
urinary tract infection
pneumonia
meningitis
septicemia
Amphotericin B
How does this drug work?
Fungal cells contain ergosterol, a sterol specific to fungal cell membranes.
Amphotericin B binds to ergosterol* and *forms pores or channels within the membrane.
This allows electrolytes to leak from the cell*, which *results in cell death
Does amphotericin B bind to
cholesterol?
No.
Only ergosterol is affected by this drug.
Does amphotericin B enter the
CNS?
No
Amphotericin B
What is this drug’s antifungal spectrum?
Amphotericin B is effective against a broad spectrum of organisms including:
Candida
Histoplasma capsulatum
Cryptococcus neoformans
Blastomyces dermatitidis
Aspergillus
Coccidioides immitis
Mucormycosis
Amphotericin B
What is the route of administration?
Usually IV;
however, for fungal meningitis:
intrathecal (inject into spinal cord) administration is required.
-A topical form of amphotericin B also exists.
Amphotericin B
What are its pharmacokinetics?
Amphotericin B is poorly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract.
Bile is the major route of excretion. A small part of the drug, however, is eliminated in the urine.
- Amphotericin B*
- How does resistance occur?*
ergosterol is replaced with other precursor sterols
for the cell membrane.
Amphotericin B
What are adverse signs to watch for during administration?
- Renal impairment—80% of patients exhibit a decreased glomerular filtration rat*_e and _*changes in renal tubular function.
- This drug can cause a renal tubular acidosis.
- Newer liposomal formulations of amphotericin B can help reduce the renal toxicity.
- Hypotension
- Fever, chills (“shake and bake” syndrome)
- Hypochromic normocytic anemia
- Neurological effects
FLUCYTOSINE
What type of drug is flucytosine?
A synthetic pyrimidine antimetabolite.
It is related in structure to an anticancer drug called 5-fluorouracil (5-FU).
Flucytosine
When is it used?
Flucytosine is used predominantly in conjunction with amphotericin B
or
itraconazole
Flucytosine
How does flucytosine work?
It enters fungal cells through a cytosine- specific permease and is first converted to 5-FU. Subsequently, it is converted to
5- fluorodeoxyuridine monophosphate (5- FdUMP).
This acid inhibits thymidylate synthetase, which is an essential enzyme in the production of DNA .
NOTE: Mammalian cells do not convert flucytosine to 5-FU and therefore are not affected.
Flucytosine
Is its antifungal spectrum broad or narrow?
Narrow;
it affects only the following:
Candida
Cryptococcus neoformans
Agents causing chromomycosis
How is flucytosine usually
administered?
PO
What are the pharmacokinetics of
flucytosine?
Flucytosine distributes well throughout the tissues*, including the *cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
It is excreted intact in the urine.
Flucytosine
What are the toxicities of this drug?
1. Hematological—reversible bone marrow depression leading to neutropenia and thrombocytopenia
- Elevated hepatic enzymes
- Gastrointestinal disturbances—nausea,
vomiting, severe enterocolitis