Introduction
Nystatin is the product of the bacterium Streptomyces noursei and belongs to the family of antimycotics. Antimycotics are drugs used to treat fungal infections. Fungi are known as pathogens especially in people with a weakened immune system. They can cause so-called mycoses, fungal infections that can occur on the surface (skin, hair and nails) or deeper (e.g. in the lungs).
When to use Nystatin?
Nystatin is mainly used to treat infections with yeast fungi. The most common representative of yeast fungi is the so-called Candida albicans. Infections with Candida albicans can occur on the skin, mucous membrane and in internal organs.
The areas of application of Nystatin are derived from this. On the one hand, Nystatin is suitable for fighting fungal infections in the intestinal tract, since the drug is not absorbed by the intestine. On the other hand, it can also be used to treat nail and skin fungus. In addition, Candida infections in the mouth and throat area (oral thrush) can be treated, as well as fungal infections in the intimate area. Nystatin is often prescribed as a preventive measure when taking long-term antibiotics, cortisone or chemotherapeutic agents to avoid infection in the case of a weakened immune system.
Effect of Nystatin
Nystatin belongs to the polyene family. These disrupt the membrane function of fungi and thus help in the treatment of many fungal infections. Nystatin forms complexes with the sterols (membrane lipids) of the membrane, which create pores in the membrane.
Through these pores, or channels, ions (charged particles) can flow out of the inside of the fungal cell. Due to the loss of ions (especially positively charged particles, i.e. cations) and the disturbed function of the membrane, the metabolism of the fungi is hindered. Nystatin thus has an fungicidal effect, it initially inhibits further fungal growth and the fungi eventually die. The yeast fungi react particularly sensitively to Nystatin, but it must be ensured that the yeast fungi still respond to Nystatin. This is because yeast fungi can develop resistances that prevent Nystatin from binding to the yeast fungus and developing its effect.
