Chapter 20: Antibacterial Drugs - Antifungal Agents

Question 1

How do antifungals work? (3)

Answer 1

• most attack sterols in the plasma membrane
• fungi have ergosterol
• animals have cholesterol

Question 2

Is fungi easy to treat?

Answer 2

• difficult to treat because fungi are more similar to animals, therefore both eukaryotes

Question 3

Name 3 antifungal agents/

Answer 3

1. polyenes
2. azoles
   3.griseofulvin

Question 4

How do polyenes work? (3)

Answer 4

• break holes in fungal membranes
• therefore fungicidal
  ex. nystatin, amphotericin B

Question 5

Are polyenes toxic? What do they treat? (3)

Answer 5

• can be toxic and lead to kidney damage
• used to treat yeast infections
• systemic fungal infections

Question 6

How do azoles work? (3)

Answer 6

• interfere with sterol synthesis
• fungistatic
  ex. micronazole, clotrimazole

Question 7

What are azoles used to treat? (3)

Answer 7

• cutaneous fungal infections
• yeast infection
• systemic infection

Question 8

Are azoles toxic? (2)

Answer 8

• less toxic than polyenes
• may cause liver damage

Question 9

How does griseofulvin work?

Answer 9

• interferes with fungal cell division
• acts against fungal infections of skin and hair

Question 10

How would you take griseofulvin? (2)

Answer 10

• taken orally
• fungistatic, so must be taken until infected part is shed
  ex. if fungi infects a nail, must take until nail grows out