ID: 201510493
Echinocandins and Flucytosine as Antifungal agents.
Echinocandins
Echinocandins are the first class of antifungals which target the fungal cell wall, also was a significant achievement in antifungal chemotherapy. Echinocandins discovered during the search for new antibiotics, as fermentation metabolites with antifungal activity. Three semi-synthetic echinocandin derivatives have been developed for clinical use:
• caspofungin,
• micafungin,
• anidulafungin
All three types of derivative are structurally similar cyclic hexapeptide antibiotics with modified N-linked acyl lipid side chains, which have a role in anchoring the hexapeptide nucleus to the fungal cell membrane where the drug interacts with the …show more content…
Than the rate of infusion should be decreased to avoid this side effect.
Thrombophlebits may occur with all the three drugs.
Final, the tolerability of echinocandins seems to be comparable to that of fluconazole and better than that of amphotericin B.
Flucytosine
Flucytosine, also known as 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC), is an antifungal medication. It is specifically used, together with amphotericin B, for serious Candidainfections and cryptococcosis. It may be used by itself or with other antifungals for chromomycosis. Flucytosine is used by mouth and by injection into a vein.
It was found that the Flucytosine is the most effective and safe medicines needed in a health system.
Mechanisms of action
Two major mechanisms of action have been explain:
• First mechanism: Flucytosine is intrafungally converted into the cytostatic fluorouracil which undergoes further steps of activation and finally interacts as 5-fluorouridinetriphosphate with RNA biosynthesis thus lead to disturbing the building of certain essential proteins.
• Second mechanism: Flucytosine undergoes conversion into 5-fluorodeoxyuridinemonophosphate which inhibits fungal DNA