Fun with antifungals

With polyene antifungals, let’s begin

These are amphotericin B and nystatin

Swish and swallow nystatin liquid form

For esophageal candidiasis it's the norm

Fungal cells’ plasma membrane is made up of ergosterol

And basically, these drugs tear holes in that wall

They destroy the cell membrane’s structural integrity

So just remember that “tear” is in ampho-TEAR-icin B

You should also know these are heavy duty medications

And heavy duty side effects are the expectation

Amphotericin B can cause fever, chills, and other things

Am-PH-PH-PH-tericin B, pretend you’re shivering, am-PH-PH-PH-tericin B

There’s also the risk of electrolyte abnormalities

Decreased potassium and magnesium are potential realities

So remember ampho B as in am-FLOW-tericin B

To remind you it might lead to nephrotoxicity

We’re having fun, fun, fun

Fun with antifungals

Now the next class of antifungals, we’re on a roll

Are the real a-holes also known as the azoles

Like clotrimazole, ketoconazole, and fluconazole

They simply inhibit the synthesis of ergosterol

Also inhibiting ergosterol synthesis are the allylamines

A couple of examples are terbinafine and butenafine

Then there’s griseofulvin, which works like this

It prevents fungal cells’ proliferation by inhibiting mitosis

The last class of antifungal drugs are the echinocandins

Like caspofungin, anidulafungin, and micafungin

They inhibit the synthesis of cell wall beta-glucan

So echinocandins, as in, e-kinda-can’t-do that man

Hope you had fun, fun, fun

Fun with antifungals

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