Ocular Drug Delivery of Antifungal Agents
摘要
Ocular fungal infections can cause grievous injury to the eye, potentially leading to blindness, if not treated in a timely and efficient manner. Several antifungal agents are currently available in the market for various species of fungi; however, there is only one commercially available treatment option for ocular fungal infections. The various physiological barriers and physicochemical characteristics of the drug molecules make drug delivery to the eye highly challenging. Various classes of antifungals such as polyenes, azoles, and echinocandins are reformulated and are administered based on their activity against the fungal strain, patient response, and severity. This chapter discusses various antifungal agents that are currently in use for the treatment of ocular fungal infections. This includes a detailed classification of the antifungal agents and their targets, various routes of administration, and the commercially available formulations. This chapter also includes the limitations of ocular delivery, describing the role of various ocular barriers and the challenges faced by the commercial formulations. Finally, to overcome the above challenges, the novel strategies currently under research are also highlighted further in the chapter.