InVitro Activity ofNaftifine, a NewAntifungal Agent

A-1235 Vienna, Austria Naftifine exhibits an interesting invitro spectrum ofactivity against dermatophytes (38strains; minimal inhibitory concentration [MIC]range,0.1to0.2,ug/ ml), aspergilli (6strains; MICrange,0.8to12.5jig/ml), Sporothrix schenckii (2 strains; MICs,0.8and1.5,ug/ml), andyeasts ofthegenusCandida(77strains; MICrange,1.5to>100,ug/ml). Itsdegree ofefficacy isunaffected bytheorganism density inthetestmedium, anditisprimarily fungicidal against dermatophytes aswell asyeasts. Itsinvitro efficacy ispHdependent andrises withincreasing pHvalues. Thecurrent therapy ofdermatomycoses dependsmainly onantifungal agents belonging to fourdifferent chemical groups: theimidazoles, thiocarbamates, andantibiotics suchasthe polyenes orgriseofulvin (2, 4).Thisreport deals withtheantifungal properties ofnaftifine, which isanallylamine derivative andrepresents anew chemical groupofantifungal compounds. The structure ofnaftifine isshowninFig. 1. (This workwaspresented inpartatthe11th