Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 19, 2026

Whole Genome Sequencing of Candida glabrata for Detection of Markers of Antifungal Drug Resistance
08:45

Whole Genome Sequencing of Candida glabrata for Detection of Markers of Antifungal Drug Resistance

Published on: December 28, 2017

Hepatotoxicity of antifungal agents

Jessica C Song1, Stanley Deresinski

  • 1Department of Pharmacy Services, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, San Jose, CA 95128, USA. Jessica.Song@hhs.co.santa-clara.ca.us

Current Opinion in Investigational Drugs (London, England : 2000)
|March 9, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Antifungal drugs can cause liver damage, ranging from mild abnormalities to severe liver failure. Monitoring antifungal therapy is crucial to minimize the risk of hepatotoxicity.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Hepatology
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • Antifungal agents are frequently associated with liver injury.
  • Hepatotoxicity from antifungals spans a spectrum from asymptomatic liver function test abnormalities to fatal hepatic failure.
  • Common clinical presentations include hepatocellular, cholestatic, or mixed patterns of liver injury.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the hepatotoxicity profiles of major antifungal drug classes.
  • To provide recommendations for monitoring antifungal therapy to mitigate liver damage risk.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of antifungal agents and their associated hepatotoxicity.
  • Analysis of clinical manifestations and patterns of liver injury.
  • Synthesis of data to formulate monitoring recommendations.

Main Results:

  • Hepatotoxic reactions vary widely among different antifungal classes.
  • Most reactions are reversible upon drug discontinuation.
  • Certain antifungals may lead to chronic liver damage.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding the specific hepatotoxicity risks of each antifungal class is essential.
  • Implementing appropriate drug monitoring strategies can significantly reduce the incidence and severity of antifungal-induced liver injury.

More Related Videos

Broth Microdilution In Vitro Screening: An Easy and Fast Method to Detect New Antifungal Compounds08:54

Broth Microdilution In Vitro Screening: An Easy and Fast Method to Detect New Antifungal Compounds

Published on: February 14, 2018

Bio-energetics Investigation of Candida albicans Using Real-time Extracellular Flux Analysis08:48

Bio-energetics Investigation of Candida albicans Using Real-time Extracellular Flux Analysis

Published on: March 19, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Antifungal Agents01:15

Antifungal Agents

Amphotericin B is a broad-spectrum antifungal agent that exploits structural differences between fungal and mammalian cell membranes. Its amphipathic structure—featuring a hydrophobic polyene-lactone ring and a hydrophilic region containing mycosamine and carboxylic acid groups—enables selective binding to ergosterol, a sterol predominantly found in fungal plasma membranes. This selective interaction underlies the drug’s antifungal activity, although weak binding to cholesterol contributes to...
Drug toxicity: Drug–Drug Interaction01:30

Drug toxicity: Drug–Drug Interaction

Drug–drug interactions can precipitate toxicity through multiple mechanisms. Absorption interactions alter how drugs enter the body, exemplified when ranitidine increases the absorption of basic drugs, while cholestyramine decreases the levels of propranolol. Protein binding interactions occur when drugs share the same binding sites on plasma proteins. Drugs like aspirin and warfarin, when bound in excess, can lead to increased free drug concentrations, enhancing the potential for...
Drug toxicity: Idiosyncratic Reactions01:16

Drug toxicity: Idiosyncratic Reactions

Idiosyncratic drug reactions represent abnormal chemical responses that vary significantly among individuals, ranging from extreme sensitivity to low doses to insensitivity to high doses. These reactions often occur due to the drug's covalent binding with serum proteins, forming a foreign hapten that triggers an immunotoxicological response. The variability in drug reactions has a strong pharmacogenetic foundation, with genetic differences crucial in how individuals metabolize drugs. For...
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Pathophysiologic Assessment and Liver Function Test01:22

Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Pathophysiologic Assessment and Liver Function Test

In clinical practice, the direct measurement of hepatic blood flow to evaluate liver function presents significant challenges due to the intricate and specialized nature of the necessary techniques. Consequently, healthcare professionals often rely on empirical estimates derived from thorough patient examinations and liver function tests to gauge liver health. Among the tools at their disposal, the Child–Pugh and MELD scoring systems stand out for their ability to categorize and assess the...
Drug Toxicity: Dose-Dependent Reactions01:24

Drug Toxicity: Dose-Dependent Reactions

Drug toxicities can be stratified into pharmacological, pathological, or genotoxic based on their mechanisms. The incidence and severity of these toxicities generally increase with the drug's concentration in the body and exposure time.Pharmacological toxicity is evident when the therapeutic effects of drugs overshoot into adverse reactions in a predictable, dose-dependent manner. Central nervous system (CNS) depression from barbiturates is a classic example, with effects escalating from...
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Dose Adjustments Due to Hepatic Impairment01:08

Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Dose Adjustments Due to Hepatic Impairment

Hepatic impairment, characterized by decreased liver function, does not uniformly mandate adjustments in drug dosage. Whether dosage modifications are necessary depends on various factors related to the drug's metabolism and elimination pathways. If a drug is primarily excreted via the kidneys and bypasses significant hepatic processing, if it undergoes minimal metabolic transformation in the liver, or if it is volatile and primarily expelled through the lungs, dose adjustments may not be...