Anti Fungal Drugs Question And Answers

Anti Fungal Drugs Important Notes

1. Antifungal drugs

  • Topically applied
    • Nystatin
    • Trichomycin
  • Systemically employed
    • Griseofulvin
    • Amphotericin B
    • Ketoconazole
    • Fluconazole
    • Miconazole

Read And Learn More: Pharmacology Question and Answers

Anti Fungal Drugs Antifungal Drugs

2. Nystatin- 5 lakh units are used in the treatment of

  • Local candidiasis of the mouth, skin, vagina, and gut

3. Griseofulvin

  • It is used to treat ringworm infections of the scalp, groin, and feet and fungal infections of the nails
  • It causes antabuse like action in the presence of alcohol

4. Ketoconazole

  • It produces serious hepatotoxicity.
  • Contraindicated in pregnancy
  • Maximum endocrinal side effects are seen

Anti Fungal Drugs Short Essays

Question 1. Antifungal drugs
Answer:

Antifungal drugs are drugs used for superficial and deep fungal infections.

Antifungal drugs Classification:

1. Antibiotics:

  • Polyenes – amphotericin B, nystatin, natamycin.
  • Heterocyclic benzofuran – griseofulvin.

2. Antimetaboljte – flucytosine.

3. Azoles.

  • Imidazoles – clotrimazole, econazole.
  • Triazoles – fluconazole, itraconazole.

4. Alkylamine – terbinafine.

5. Topical agents.

  • Tolnaftate, undecylenic acid, Benzoic acid, butenafine, sod. Thiosulfate.

Antifungal drugs Site of action:

  • Antifungal drugs may act on
    • Fungal cell wall
    • Cell membrane
    • On the nucleus

Question 2. Amphotericin B.
Answer:

  • Amphotericin B is a polyene antifungal agent
  • It is obtained from streptomyces nodosus.

Antifungal spectrum:

  • Amphotericin B is active against a wide range of yeast and fungi.
  • It is fungicidal at high and fungi-static at low concentrations.

Antifungal spectrum Mechanism of action:

Anti Fungal Drugs Antifungal Spectrum Mechanism Of Action

Antifungal spectrum Adverse effects:

1. Acute reactions:

  • Fever, chills, aches, pain.
  • Nausea, vomiting, dyspnoea.
  • Thrombophlebitis of the injected vein.

2. Long-term toxicity.

  • Nephrotoxicity – reduced GFR, acidosis, hypo-kalaemia, inability to concentrate urine.
  • Neurotoxicity.
  • Anaemia due to decreased production of erythropoietin and bone marrow depression.

Antifungal Spectrum Uses:

  • Amphotericin B-used topically for oral, vaginal, and cutaneous candidiasis and otomycosis.
  • To prevent relapse of cryptococcosis and histoplasmosis in patients with AIDS.
  • Leishmaniasis.
  • Orally in fungal infections of the gut.

Question 3. Griseofulvin.
Answer:

  • Griseofulvin is antifungal antibiotic.
  • It is fungistatic.
  • It is derived from penicillium griseofulvum.

Griseofulvin Mechanism of action:

Anti Fungal Drugs Griseofulvin Mechanism Of Action

Griseofulvin Uses:

  • It is used orally in superficial dermatophytosis
  • Dose – 1 g daily.
  • Duration of treatment – varies from 3 weeks to 1 year.

Griseofulvin Adverse effects:

  • Headache.
  • Git disturbances.
  • Neurotoxicity – peripheral neuritis.
  • Allergic reactions.
  • Hepatitis.

Question 4. Ketoconazole.
Answer:

  • It is the first orally effective broad-spectrum antifungal drug
  • It is more soluble at lower pH in the blood
  • Food and low gastric pH enhance its absorption
  • In blood, it is largely bound to albumin and RBC
  • Metabolites are excreted in urine and feces
  • Plasma half-life -1 %-6 hours
  • Penetration into CSF is poor

Ketoconazole Uses:

  • Dermatophytosis
  • Superficial candidiasis
  • Deep mycosis
  • High doses have been used in Cushing’s syndrome

Ketoconazole Adverse Effects:

  • Nausea, vomiting, gastric irritation, loss of apatite
  • Headache, paraesthesia
  • Rashes
  • Hair loss
  • Allergic reaction
  • Decreases androgen production – Gynaecomastia, loss of libido, azoospermia, menstrual irregularities

Ketoconazole Drug Interactions:

  • H2 blockers. Proton pump inhibitors and antacids – decrease the oral absorption of ketoconazole
  • Rifampicin, phenobarbitone, carbazepine and phenytoin – induces ketoconazole metabolism and reduces its efficacy

Anti Fungal Drugs Short Question And Answers

Question 1. Name two broad-spectrum antifungal drugs.
Answer:

Broad-spectrum antifungal drugs are used against a large variety of fungi and yeasts like C. Albican, H. Capsulation, and Cryptococcus. Neoformans, Blastomyces dermatitis, coccidiosis immits, coreopsis, rhodotorula, aspergillus, deep mycosis, trichophyton.

  • They are:
  1. Polyenes – amphotericin – B, nystatin, natamycin.
  2. Heterocyclic benzofuran – griseofulvin.

Question 2. Amphotericin B.
Answer:

  • Nystatin is a polyene antifungal agent
  • It is obtained from the streptomyces course
  • It is not absorbed when given orally, so used topically.

Amphotericin B Uses:

1. Local candidiasis

  • 5 ml oral suspension should be swished in the mouth and then swallowed 4 times a day.

2. Vaginal candidiasis.

  • 1 lac unit tab inserted twice daily.

3. Used as an ointment for corneal, conjunctival, and cutaneous candidiasis.

Amphotericin B Adverse effects:

  • Bitter foul taste
  • Nausea.

Question 4. Griseofulvin.
Answer.

Griseofulvin Uses:

  • Dermatophytosis
  • Superficial candidiasis
  • Deep mycosis
  • High doses have been used in Cushing’s syndrome

Griseofulvin Adverse Effects:

  • Nausea, vomiting, gastric irritation, loss of apatite
  • Headache, paraesthesia
  • Rashes
  • Hair loss
  • Allergic reaction
  • Decreases androgen production – Gynaecomastia, loss of libido, azoospermia, menstrual irregularities

Question 5. Ketoconazole.
Answer:

  • Ketoconazole is the first orally effective broad-spectrum antifungal drug.
  • It is more soluble at lower pH in the blood.
  • Metabolites are excreted in urine and feces.
  • Plasma t ½ varies from 1½ to 6 hours.

Ketoconazole Uses:

  • Dermatophytosis.
  • Superficial candidiasis.
  • Deep mycosis.

Ketoconazole Adverse effects:

  • Nausea, vomiting, gastric irritation, loss of appetite.
  • Headache, paresthesia.
  • Rashes, hair loss.
  • Allergic reactions.
  • Decreases androgen production – gynecomastia, loss of libido, azoospermia, menstrual irregularities.

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