Natural Products: An Alternative to Conventional Therapy for Dermatophytosis?

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2017

Authors

Lopes, G (Author) Other; Eugenia Pinto (Author) FFUP; Salgueiro, L (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Mycopathologia

Vol. 182

Pages: 143-167

ISSN: 0301-486X

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 62 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00M-KFN

DOI: 10.1007/s11046-016-0081-9

Abstract (EN): The increased incidence of fungal infections, associated with the widespread use of antifungal drugs, has resulted in the development of resistance, making it necessary to discover new therapeutic alternatives. Among fungal infections, dermatophytoses constitute a serious public health problem, affecting 20-25 % of the world population. Medicinal plants represent an endless source of bioactive molecules, and their volatile and non-volatile extracts are clearly recognized for being the historical basis of therapeutic health care. Because of this, the research on natural products with antifungal activity against dermatophytes has considerably increased in recent years. However, despite the recognized anti-dermatophytic potential of natural products, often advantageous face to commercial drugs, there is still a long way to go until their use in therapeutics. This review attempts to summarize the current status of anti-dermatophytic natural products, focusing on their mechanism of action, the developed pharmaceutical formulations and their effectiveness in human and animal models of infection.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 25