There are several different kinds of antifungal agents that are prescribed to fight fungal skin infections. These medications can be divided into systemic antifungals (which are taken in pill form or intravenously) and topical antifungals (which are applied as creams, lotions, powders, aerosols, gels, lacquers or shampoos).

Systemic antifungals include:

*The antifungal medication griseofulvin is rarely used today to treat infections because it is less effective and has more side effects than other drugs. However, this medication is frequently used as an alternative if a patient is allergic to another form of antifungal medication or susceptible to its side effects.

Most topical antifungals can be further subdivided into one of three major classes:

• Polyenes. Developed in the 1950s, polyenes were the first antifungal agents. These drugs work by binding to the membranes of fungal cells and causing them to leak essential cell components through the walls. This causes the fungal cells to die.
  
  

  Generic Name	Brand Name(s)
  amphotericin B	Fungizone
  nystatin	Mycostatin, Mytrex, Nystop

  
  
• Azoles. These drugs were developed to treat fungal infections that did not respond to polyenes. They work by blocking production of ergosterol, a substance created by the cell wall of fungus. When the cell wall lacks sufficient amounts of ergosterol, it becomes weak and unable to support further growth. Eventually, the fungal cells die as a result of this deficiency.
  
  

  Generic Name	Brand Name(s)
  clotrimazole	Lotrimin, Mycelex
  econazole	Spectazole
  ketoconazole	Nizoral
  miconazole	Monistat-Derm, Micatin
  oxiconazole	Oxistat
  sulconazole	Exelderm

  
  
• Allylamines and benzylamines. Developed in the 1980s, allylamines marked an advance in both the destruction and inhibition of fungi growth. Like azoles, both allylamines and benzylamines disrupt the production of ergosterol in the cell wall of fungi, leading to the eventual death of the fungus. However, these drugs achieve this by blocking an earlier step in the ergosterol production process.
  
  

  Generic Name	Brand Name(s)
  butenafine	Mentax
  naftifine	Naftin
  terbinafine	Lamisil

Other topical antifungals include: