Health encyclopaedia - Alphabetical Topic List
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How does it work? of Antifungal drugs
Antifungal drugs treat infections by destroying the fungi that cause them. They each do this by attacking tiny components of the fungi called cells. Cells are the building blocks that make up all living things. Two examples of this process are:
Flucytosine is used to treat serious and systemic fungal infections. When this drug reaches a cell of the fungi, it is turned into a chemical that prevents the cells of the fungi from multiplying and slows their growth.
Clotrimazole treats fungal infections by preventing the fungi from producing a substance called ergosterol. This causes holes to appear in the cells of the fungi, allowing unwanted substances in and letting vital cell components out. This stops the fungi from functioning and destroys the infection.









