Antifungal Nanomaterials: Current Progress and Future Directions

Abstract

Fungal infection poses a severe threat to human health worldwide resulting in a serious problem in clinic. Due to the limited arsenal of existing antifungal drugs, the nanomaterials were thus regarded as the candidate for developing new antifungal drugs. On the one hand, the antifungal nanomaterials are divided into inorganic nanomaterials, organic nanomaterials, and hybrid nanomaterials, among which inorganic nanoparticles include metal and semiconducting categories. On the other hand, they can also be divided into inorganic particles, organic structures, and mixed nanostructures. Currently various directions for the research and development of antifungal nanomaterials are undergoing. To improve the antifungal effect, the chemical modification of nanomaterials and combination with the available drugs are two strategies widely used. In addition, optimizing the synthetic process of nanomaterials is also a major method to broaden their antifungal application. This review focuses on the current research progress and cutting-edge technologies of antifungal nanomaterials in the field of pharmacodynamics, synthesis and combination of drugs. The nanomaterial will provide a promising and broadly effective antifungal strategy and represent a potentially repositionable candidate for the treatment of fungal infections.