The Sound of Evolution
Tioconazole
Mechanism of action:
Tioconazole is an imidazole derivative. Tioconazole inhibits fungal lanosterol 14alpha-demethylase, also known as CYP51, an enzyme responsible for converting lanosterol into ergosterol. When this step is blocked, the fungal cell membrane becomes structurally incomplete, and lanosterol accumulates because it can no longer be converted, causing toxicity. This ultimately suppresses fungal growth or leads to fungal death.
Reference(s):
1. Ballard SA et al. (1988). A comparative study of 1-substituted imidazole and 1,2,4-triazole antifungal compounds as inhibitors of testosterone hydroxylations catalysed by mouse hepatic microsomal cytochromes P-450. Biochem Pharmacol.
2. Fliri AF et al. (2005). Biological spectra analysis: Linking biological activity profiles to molecular structure. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA.