[In vitro action of a new antifungal agent, naftifine, on dermatophytes]

Naftifine is a new antifungal agent derived from naphtalenemethane amine and highly active in vitro against dermatophytes. We studied this action against more than 100 strains belonging to 16 different species of the Trichophyton, Microsporum and Epidermophyton genera. MICs were determined in a liquid or solid medium using YMA and YMB Sabouraud broths. Yeasts (Candida, Torulopsis) and certain molds such as Scopulariopsis brevicaulis showed little susceptibility. In contrast, MICs for dermatophytes ranged from 0.01 to 0.2 microgram/ml on agar (YMA Sabouraud) and from 0.2 to 2 microgram/ml in broth (YMB Sabouraud). These values are lower than those obtained under similar conditions with imidazoles and equivalent to those obtained with tolnaflate or griseofulvin.