History of antifungals

Until two to three decades ago, only a few drugs were available for the treatment of fungal infections. The status of antifungal therapy changed dramatically in the late 1960s with the introduction of newer broader spectrum agents, such as the iodinated trichlorophenols and the imidazoles, that acted by disruption of the fungal cell membrane. Some of the more recently developed broad-spectrum antifungal drugs include the triazoles terconazole, itraconazole, and fluconazole and the dimethylmorpholine amorolfine. The allylamines represent one of the newest classes of compounds shown to be effective in the management of fungal disorders. The two members of this unique chemical class that have been studied clinically, naftifine and terbinafine, are effective against a wide spectrum of fungal organisms. Terbinafine has the added advantage of both topical and oral activity.