Vaginal Candida: Antifungal Drugs

Currently, on the market, antifungal drugs that can be used in the presence of vaginal candida are present in three formulations:

• In cream ( topical antifungals );
• In tablet for vaginal use ( antifungals for vaginal use );
• In tablet for oral use ( oral antifungals ).

Topical Antifungals
Topical antifungals for the treatment of vaginal candida are drugs in the form of a cream to spread on the genital areas affected by the infection (vulva and vagina).

Among the topical antifungals used in the presence of vaginal candida, clotrimazole , econazole , fenticonazole nitrate , miconazole and nystatin are reported .

Yeast Infection Treatments Products

With the exception of nystatin (which is an antibiotic with antifungal action), clotrimazole, econazole, fenticonazole nitrate and miconazole belong to the category of so-called imidazole derivatives (or imidazole derivatives ); imidazole derivatives are antifungal drugs that exert their power by destroying the cell membrane of fungi.

Vaginal antifungals
Vaginal antifungals for the treatment of vaginal candida are drugs in the form of tablets to be inserted into the vagina.

Among the antifungals for vaginal use used in the presence of vaginal candida are the aforementioned clotrimazole, econazole, fenticonazole nitrate, miconazole and nystatin (they are the tablet version for vaginal use of those in cream mentioned above).

Possible side effects of clotrimazole, econazole and fenticonazole nitrate (both for topical and vaginal use): local burning and skin irritation.

Oral Antifungals
Oral antifungals for the treatment of vaginal candida are drugs in tablet form to be ingested by mouth.

Among the oral antifungals used in the presence of vaginal candida, fluconazole and itraconazole stand out .

Fluconazole and itraconazole belong to the category of triazoles ; characterized by a stronger anti-fungal power than imidazole derivatives, triazoles act against some enzymes that fungi like Candida albicans use to reproduce and survive (in simpler words, they destroy molecules essential for the reproduction of fungi).

Possible side effects of fluconazole and itraconazole: nausea , abdominal pain , diarrhea and flatulence .

Attention to Personal Hygiene
Paying attention to personal hygiene is a fundamental step in the treatment of vaginal candida.
In this sense, the rules to be followed include:

Use of good quality intimate cleansers , so as not to irritate the already suffering genital area;
Be careful, after each shower, to dry the genital areas .