Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 11, 2026

The Goeckerman Regimen for the Treatment of Moderate to Severe Psoriasis
11:39

The Goeckerman Regimen for the Treatment of Moderate to Severe Psoriasis

Published on: July 11, 2013

Ketoconazole

A L Hume, T M Kerkering

    Drug Intelligence & Clinical Pharmacy
    |March 1, 1983
    PubMed

    Insights

    Ketoconazole is approved for many fungal infections but lacks extensive peer-reviewed data. Further clinical trials are needed to confirm its effectiveness and optimal dosage for antifungal therapy.

    Area of Science:

    • Mycology
    • Pharmacology
    • Infectious Diseases

    Background:

    • Fungal infections present treatment challenges due to drug resistance and toxicity.
    • Ketoconazole, an oral imidazole antifungal, is FDA-approved for various fungal infections.
    • Limited peer-reviewed literature exists on ketoconazole's efficacy for several approved indications.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To review the current status of ketoconazole in treating fungal infections.
    • To highlight the need for further clinical evidence regarding ketoconazole's effectiveness and safety.
    • To discuss the recommended dosage and duration of ketoconazole therapy.

    Main Methods:

    • Literature review of existing studies on ketoconazole.
    • Analysis of reported adverse reactions and preliminary findings on steroidogenesis.
    • Examination of FDA-approved indications for ketoconazole.

    Main Results:

    • Gastrointestinal side effects are the most common adverse reactions.
    • Preliminary data suggest higher ketoconazole doses may inhibit adrenal steroidogenesis.
    • Current recommendations are 200-400 mg/day, with undefined therapy duration.

    Conclusions:

    • Ketoconazole's effectiveness for several approved fungal infections requires more robust clinical validation.
    • The potential impact on adrenal steroidogenesis warrants further investigation.
    • Until comprehensive clinical trials are completed, ketoconazole use should be judiciously limited.

    More Related Videos

    Reverse Yeast Two-hybrid System to Identify Mammalian Nuclear Receptor Residues that Interact with Ligands and/or Antagonists10:51

    Reverse Yeast Two-hybrid System to Identify Mammalian Nuclear Receptor Residues that Interact with Ligands and/or Antagonists

    Published on: November 15, 2013

    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

    Related Concept Videos

    Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists01:27

    Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists

    5-HT3 receptor antagonists, such as dolasetron, granisetron (Kytril), ondansetron (Zofran), and palonosetron (Axoli), are crucial in managing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) and postoperative nausea. These drugs selectively block 5-HT3 receptors in the visceral vagal and spinal afferent nerves, chemoreceptor trigger zone, and the vomiting center. They have a rapid onset of action and can be given as a single dose before chemotherapy. Ondansetron and granisetron, in particular,...
    Pharmacokinetics: Drug–Drug Interactions01:25

    Pharmacokinetics: Drug–Drug Interactions

    Drug interactions occur when the pharmacological effect of one drug is altered by another substance, either enhancing or diminishing its activity. The drug whose activity is altered is known as the object drug, and the substance causing the alteration is called the agent drug or the precipitant. The net effects of these interactions are mostly undesirable, leading to decreased effectiveness or increased adverse effects. In rare cases, interactions can be beneficial, such as the enhanced...
    Cryptococcal Meningitis01:27

    Cryptococcal Meningitis

    Cryptococcal meningitis is a life-threatening opportunistic infection predominantly associated with HIV/AIDS, accounting for over 100,000 deaths annually worldwide. However, it also affects individuals with other forms of immunosuppression, including those undergoing immunosuppressive therapy, organ transplant recipients, patients with innate immunodeficiencies, and individuals with hematological disorders. The infection is caused mainly by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii,...
    Candidiasis01:20

    Candidiasis

    Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by opportunistic species of Candida. It can affect various anatomical sites, including the skin, oral cavity, nails, and genitourinary tract. Among its forms, vaginal candidiasis is the most common type of mucosal infection. It typically results from the overgrowth of Candida albicans in the vaginal mucosa. Under normal conditions, C. albicans exists as a commensal organism within the vaginal microbiota, regulated by the dominance of lactobacilli, which...
    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...
    Antiprotozoal Agents01:21

    Antiprotozoal Agents

    Leishmaniasis is a widespread parasitic disease caused by several Leishmania species. It affects millions of people each year and remains a major public health problem in endemic regions. First-line treatment relies on pentavalent antimonials, including meglumine antimoniate and sodium stibogluconate. Even so, how these drugs work has not been fully clear, especially their interaction with parasite-specific biochemical pathways. One key target is trypanothione reductase (TR), an enzyme that...