Antifungal nanotherapy: A novel approach to combat superficial fungal infections

Abstract

Superficial fungal infections (SFIs) affect up to 25% of population all over the world. Although dermatophytosis is the main SFIs with worldwide distribution, tinea versicolor caused by Malassezia species and Candida-related infections are also common. SFIs have diverse etiologic agents, which differ in pathogenesis and geographic distribution with increasing rate of resistant species to current antifungal therapy. Nowadays, the conventional antifungal therapy of SFIs using current antifungals of azoles, allylamines, and griseofulvin have some drawbacks like liver toxicity, skin problem, severe headaches and sometimes recurrences and drug-drug interactions especially in patients who are under drug treatment for other diseases. The problem is more complicated in immunocompromised patients who undergone systemic immunosuppressive therapies. On the other hand, low penetration of antifungal drugs in hard tissues of nail in onychomycoses caused by the dermatophytes and Candida species in local therapies and drug resistance in emerging causative species are considered as other important limitations of current antifungal therapy against SFIs. Novel formulations of antifungals or new devices that increase the chance of the delivery of the drug into the site of the infection seem necessary in order to enhance the drug efficiency. Recently, nanotechnology has contributed into this area and proposes great opportunities for more effective treatments of SFIs. In this chapter, we highlight current status of antifungal nanotherapy using advanced nanoformulations to combat SFIs and discuss in details their application in future medicine.