Unit 09: antifungals Flashcards
illnesses caused by fungi
- wide variety including asehtma or allergies, skin issues, lung infections, blood infections and meningitis
what are fungi and thier forms
considered primitive plants and can exist in various forms: unicellular yeast like (candida), filamentous mold (aspergillus) and some are yeast like inside body but filamentous outside (Blastomyces)
*eukaryotic so harder to attack without attacking the host
what is the other name for fungal infections?
mycosis
what are the 5 main antifungal drug classes
Polyenes, azoles, pyrimidines, echinocandins and terbinafine
what are examples polyenes
amphotericin B, nystatin and natamycin
common fungicidal agents but they have high systemic toxicity.
what are examples fo azoles
itraconazole and voriconazole
- very low toxicity and considered to have fungistatic effects
examples of pyrimidines
- flucytosine
- agents that can penetrate BBB
ex of echinocandin
capsofungin
- newer class of antifungal which appear to ahve low toxicity
what is used to treat dermatophytosis
*fungal infection in the skin
- treat with terbinafine
primary molecular targets for antifungal therapy
- enzymes and other mol invovled in fungal DNA synthesis, mitosis, plasma membrane synthesis adn cell wal synthesis
- PM of fungi is unique in that it contains ergosterol not cholesterol which makes it a target for amny antifungals
what classes of antifungals inhibit ergosterol synthesis
allylamines, benxylamines, imidazoles, and triazoles
what antifungal targets the cell wall? what targets the PM?
echinocandins targets cell wall
Polyenes parget the Plasma membrane
what antifungal targets DNA synthesis
flucytosine
what antifungal targets mitotic spindle?
Griseofulvin
what is amphotericin B
a polyene antifungal agent that attacks by binding to ergosterol and dsitrupting fungal membrane stability
- when it binds it produces channels or pores that alter fungal membrane permeability and allow for leakage of essential cellular contents ultimately leading to cell death
what are soem drawbacks to amphotericin B and adverse effects
resistance is becoming more common and drug also bidns to cholesterol fairly easily so can lead to toxicity
adverse effects:
- Nephrotoxicity: patients see urine changes (protien, blood or casts) before increased levels of urea and nitrogen would be noted in blood
- also fever, vomiting, nausea, phlebitis (inflammation of veins)
- IV administration may cause thrombosis therefore infusion must be slow (over 4-6 hours)
- administration of fluids containing NaCl prior to treatment may lessen nephrotoxicity
*lipid complex formualtions are safer and preferred to reduce kdiney damage
when is amphotericin B used?
mainly in patients with life treatening systemic mycoses (esp if immunocompromised) bc its fungicidal
*For immunocompetent patients, many practitioners prefer the safer azoles (such as itraconazole) even though most azoles are fungistatic
spectrum of amphotericin B
- broad spec of activity (broader than azoles) but inefective against dermatophytes (like ringworm)
- often given once prior to longer follow up therapy with azoles but not usually combined bc azoles may reduce ergosterol bidnign sites for amphotericin B