title: Antifungals: Mechanism of Action and Drug Resistance.
abstract: There are currently few antifungals in use which show efficacy against fungal diseases. These antifungals mostly target specific components of fungal plasma membrane or its biosynthetic pathways. However, more recent class of antifungals in use is echinocandins which target the fungal cell wall components. The availability of mostly fungistatic antifungals in clinical use, often led to the development of tolerance to these very drugs by the pathogenic fungal species. Thus, the development of clinical multidrug resistance (MDR) leads to higher tolerance to drugs and its emergence is helped by multiple mechanisms. MDR is indeed a multifactorial phenomenon wherein a resistant organism possesses several mechanisms which contribute to display reduced susceptibility to not only single drug in use but also show collateral resistance to several drugs. Considering the limited availability of antifungals in use and the emergence of MDR in fungal infections, there is a continuous need for the development of novel broad spectrum antifungal drugs with better efficacy. Here, we briefly present an overview of the current understanding of the antifungal drugs in use, their mechanism of action and the emerging possible novel antifungal drugs with great promise.
authors.affiliation: Membrane Biology Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India. rp47jnu@gmail.com.|AMITY Institute of Integrative Sciences and Health (AIISH), Amity University Haryana, Manesar, Gurgaon, Haryana, India. rp47jnu@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rajendra
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.affiliation: Membrane Biology Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India.
authors.forename: Abdul Haseeb
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Membrane Biology Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India.
authors.forename: Manpreet Kaur
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Rawal
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001393:Azoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D002175:Candida / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002177:Candidiasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D026141:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D054714:Echinocandins / Q000494:pharmacology; D004875:Ergosterol / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D009025:Morpholines / Q000494:pharmacology; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011090:Polyenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D013859:Thiocarbamates / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D001393:Azoles; D054714:Echinocandins; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D009025:Morpholines; D011090:Polyenes; D013859:Thiocarbamates; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D004875:Ergosterol
keywords: Antifungal agents; Azoles; Combination therapy; Drug efflux; Erg11p; Multidrug resistance