Systemic antifungal therapy

There are five oral antifungal agents used in dermatology: griseofulvin, ke toconazole, itraconazole, fluconazole, and terbinafine. These drugs are use d to treat superficial mycoses, such as tinea capitis and onychomycosis, wh ich do not respond to topical antifungals. Knowledge of pharmacology, combi ned with clinical experience and the cost of therapy, are necessary to sele ct the proper drug. The search to identify new oral antifungal agents shoul d continue, because none of the five currently used drugs fulfill the crite ria of the ideal antifungal therapy.