Research indicates that azoles, when combined with osteoporosis drugs known as bisphosphonates, are more effective at treating fungal infections. This combination has shown success in laboratory tests against dermatophytes, with promising implications for preventing resistance and enhancing drug efficacy. Combining azoles with bisphosphonates enhances the treatment of fungal infections, showing significant efficacy in lab tests and potential in reducing drug resistance.
Introduction to Fungal Infections and Current Treatments Human skin, hair, and nails are all vulnerable to fungal infections. While these infections are usually not serious, they’re difficult to fully resolve and often recur after treatment—sometimes for years. They’re also often resistant to treatments, including a common class of antifungals called azoles.
Enhancing Antifungal Efficacy With Bisphosphonates A study published this week in mSphere points to a new way to boost the efficacy of azoles in treating those infections—combining them with commonly available drugs called bisphosphonates, usually used to treat osteoporosis. Previous work by the same research group has shown that adding bisphosphonates to azoles can effectively treat yeast infections from Candida and Cryptococcus species. The new study extends that finding to dermatophytes, which cause superficial infections.
The study suggests that bisphosphonates could be repurposed to use with azole antifungals, which are relatively nontoxic, an.
