Antifungal Mechanisms

Although they more closely resemble plants, fungi are cellularly more closely related to humans. They add nutrients to soil, are the basis of penicillin and other drugs and are regularly eaten by humans. However, fungi can cause serious infections and even death.

Echinocandin

• Fungal membranes are sufficiently different from human ones, so certain drugs can target them without affecting the surrounding human tissue. For instance, echinocandin drugs target the synthesis of beta-glycan, which is only found in fungal cells, by inhibiting the enzyme 1,3-β glucan synthase . This group of drugs is administered subcutaneously (injection) rather than orally, to ensure more rapid absorption and action.

Azole

• Azole drugs directly inhibit the biosynthesis of various membrane-specific sterol enzymes in fungi. They disrupt fungal membrane function, eventually causing them to die. These drugs are known to cause anaphylaxis and other allergic responses, so use them cautiously.

5-Fluorocytosine

• A synthetic antimycotic drug, 5-fluorocytosine targets fungal replication by affecting DNA transcription to RNA and inhibits the synthesis of essential fungal proteins.