Comparison of in vitro antifungal activities of topical antimycotics launched in 1990s in Japan.

In vitro anti-dermatophyte, anti-Candida albicans and anti-Malassezia furfur activities of amorolfine hydrochloride (AMF), terbinafine hydrochloride (TBF), butenafine hydrochloride (BTF), neticonazole hydrochloride (NCZ) and ketoconazole (KCZ), all of which were introduced for the treatment of dermatomycoses in the 1990s in Japan, were compared. Although all of the test drugs are classified as an ergosterol biosynthesis inhibitor, the antifungal properties were found to be different. TBF and BTF exerted extremely potent antifungal activity against Trichophyton spp. but not against C. albicans and M. furfur, whilst KCZ and NCZ showed potent antifungal activity against C. albicans and M. furfur rather than Trichophyton spp. AMF exhibited potent antifungal activity against all of the fungal species tested. Fungicidal activities of these antifungal agents against T. rubrum were determined by using neutral red staining. The fungicidal potentialities correlated with those obtained in the in vitro susceptibility test as determined by MICs against dermatophytes. TBF, BTF and AMF exerted more potent fungicidal action than NCZ and KCZ.