Research progress of voriconazole in the treatment of cryptococcal infection

Abstract

Voriconazole (C16H14N5OF3) is a novel triazole antifungal drug with broad spectrum, strong potency, good tolerance and high safety.It is a derivative of fluconazole, but it has a broader antibacterial spectrum and stronger bactericidal action than fluconazole.It can highly selectively inhibit the biosynthesis of ergosterol in various fungal cell membranes.Voriconazole has high permeability to the blood-brain barrier and blood-eye barrier, thus it can reach multiple sites of cryptococcal infection with effective drug concentration.In addition, it has a certain effect on drug-resistant fungi.What′s more, voriconazole can regulate immunity to accelerate the clearance of fungi in the lesion.Therefore, voriconazole is widely used in clinical practice.This article reviews the pharmacological effects, basic research of voriconazole and its application in cryptococcal infection. Key words: Cryptococcosis; Voriconazole