agar and Tinea-Pedis

Two surface-active compounds, egg lecithin and polysorbate 80, usually used as the deactivators of various preservatives were tested whether they also counteract either or all of the three major topical antifungal drugs, bifonazole (BFZ), lanoconazole (LCZ) and terbinafine (TBF). Both egg lecithin and polysorbate 80, when added to culture media up to final concentrations of 1.0 and 0.7%, respectively, antagonized the anti-dermatophytic activity of the three drugs in a concentration-dependent manner. A greater extent of antagonistic action was exerted when the two deactivators combined at their maximal levels tested were added; MIC's of BFZ were increased more than 30-fold and those of LCZ and TBF more than 200-fold compared with the values obtained in the absence of the deactivators. Using the agar medium supplemented with the combined deactivators, culture studies were carried out with skin tissues specimens taken from guinea pigs whose feet were infected with dermatophytes and subsequently treated with 1% topical preparations of the three antifungal drugs. The experimental data from this animal study demonstrated that the combined deactivators-supplemented medium yielded increased numbers of fungi compared with the basal medium. It looks, therefore, likely that the fungal recovery on the former medium more correctly reflects to actual fungal burden in the infected lesions than the latter. All these results suggest that the combined deactivators-supplemented medium is more useful for mycological evaluation of therapeutic efficacy of imidazole and allylamine drugs against dermatophytoses in both preclinical and clinical studies.

Topics: Administration, Topical; Agar; Animals; Antifungal Agents; Culture Media; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Guinea Pigs; Heterocyclic Compounds; Imidazoles; Microbiological Techniques; Naphthalenes; Phosphatidylcholines; Polysorbates; Surface-Active Agents; Terbinafine; Tinea Pedis; Trichophyton

The minimum inhibitory doses (MIDs) of essential oils by vapour contact to inhibit the growth of Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Trichophyton rubrum on agar medium were determined using airtight boxes. Among seven essential oils examined, cinnamon bark oil showed the least MID, followed by lemongrass, thyme and perilla oils. Lavender and tea tree oils showed moderate MID, and citron oil showed the highest MID, being 320 times higher than that of cinnamon bark oil. The MID values were less than the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values determined by agar dilution assay. Furthermore, the minimum agar concentration (MAC) of essential oils absorbed from vapour was determined at the time of MID determination as the second antifungal measure. The MAC value by vapour contact was 1.4 to 4.7 times less than the MAC remaining in the agar at the time of MIC determination by agar dilution assay. Using selected essential oils, the anti-Trichophyton activity by vapour contact was examined in more detail. Lemongrass, thyme and perilla oils killed the conidia, inhibited germination and hyphal elongation at 1-4 micrograms ml-1 air, whereas lavender oil was effective at 40-160 micrograms ml-1 air. The in-vivo efficacy of thyme and perilla oils by vapour contact was shown against an experimental tinea pedis in guinea pigs infected with T. mentagrophytes. These results indicated potent anti-Trichophyton action of essential oils by vapour contact.

Topics: Agar; alpha-Linolenic Acid; Animals; Antifungal Agents; Aromatherapy; Culture Media; Disease Models, Animal; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Guinea Pigs; Lamiaceae; Lavandula; Male; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Oils, Volatile; Phytotherapy; Plant Oils; Terpenes; Tinea Pedis; Trichophyton

Topics: Adult; Agar; Candidiasis, Cutaneous; Female; Glucose; Humans; Microsporum; Nails; Onychomycosis; Tinea Pedis; Trichophyton

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Agar; Aged; Arthrodermataceae; Candida; Child; Child, Preschool; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Glucose; Humans; Hydroxides; India; Intertrigo; Male; Middle Aged; Potassium; Tinea Pedis

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Agar; Child; Child, Preschool; Europe; Female; Humans; Male; Onychomycosis; Tinea; Tinea Pedis; Trichophyton