What is the Difference Between Fungistatic and Fungicidal

The main difference between fungistatic and fungicidal is that fungistatic inhibits `growth whereas fungicidal kills fungal pathogens.

Fungistatic and fungicidal are two types of activities of antifungal drugs. Importantly, fungicidal drugs kill 99.9% of the pathogen in vitro.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Fungistatic
   • Definition, Characteristics, Importance
2. What is Fungicidal
   • Definition, Characteristics, Importance
3. Similarities Between Fungistatic and Fungicidal
   • Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Fungistatic and Fungicidal
   • Comparison with Key Differences

Key Terms

Fungicidal, Fungistatic

What is Fungistatic

Fungistatic is a type of antifungal activity, which inhibit the growth and reproduction of fungal pathogens. More importantly, fungistatic drugs do not kill fungal pathogens. Fungistatics are important in medicine and the food industry. Itraconazole and fluconazole are examples of fungistatic drugs. Here, itraconazole is an antifungal drug prescribed to patients with fungal diseases. Also, it is a broad-spectrum antifungal drug. In addition to that, it is an azole antifungal that inhibits the fungal-mediated synthesis of ergosterol. On the other hand, fluconazole is another fungistatic that is important in treating fungal infections such as candida infections in the mouth, throat, bloodstream, and vagina. Also, it is important in treating fungal infections in immunocompromised patients such as in cancer treatment. Importantly, fluconazole interferes with the synthesis of the fungal cell membrane.

Figure 1: Alternaria brassicicola Symptoms

Furthermore, fungistatic agents inhibit the growth of fungal pathogens. Sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate however are fungistatic substances with wide use in the preservation of food and beverages.        

What is Fungicidal

Fungicidal drugs are agents that kill fungal pathogens. Therefore, they are antifungal agents. In agriculture, fungicides are biocidal chemical compounds that kill parasitic fungi and their spores. However, fungi cause serious damage to crops, resulting in critical losses of yield, quality, and profit of crops. Also, there are three types of fungicides in agriculture: contact, translaminar, and systemic. Particularly, contact fungicides do not enter the plant and the deposited spray can kill the pathogen. Meanwhile, the translaminar fungicides redistribute to the unsprayed surfaces from the sprayed surfaces. On the contrary, systemic fungicides redistribute through the xylem vessels.

Figure 2: Antifungal Drugs

Moreover, the main function of the fungicide is to kill fungal pathogens. Usually, fungicides destroy 99.9% of fungal pathogens. Captan, folpet, dithiocarbamates, pentachlorophenol, and mercurial are some fungicides used as pesticides in agriculture. Further, the most common active ingredient of fungicides is sulfur. Other active ingredients in fungicides include neem oil, rosemary oil, jojoba oil, the bacterium Bacillus subtilis, and the beneficial fungus Ulocladium oudemansii.

Similarities Between Fungistatic and Fungicidal

• Fungistatic and fungicidal are two types of antifungal drugs that differ according to their function.
• Both can be used against fungal pathogens.
• They are important in treating and preventing mycosis such as athlete’s foot, ringworm, candidiasis, serious systemic infections such as cryptococcal meningitis, and others.

Difference Between Fungistatic and Fungicidal

Definition

Fungistatic refers to the capability of inhibiting the growth and reproduction of fungi without destroying them while fungicidal refers to the capability of destroying fungi.

Activity

Fungistatic drugs are less effective in comparison to fungicidal drugs while fungicidal drugs kill 99.9% of the fungal pathogens.

Killing Fungal Pathogens

Fungistatic drugs do not kill fungal pathogens while fungicidal drugs kill fungal pathogens.

Examples

Some examples of fungistatic drugs are clotrimazole, miconazole, and ketoconazole while some examples of fungicidal drugs are captan, folpet, dithiocarbamates, pentachlorophenol, and mercurials.

Conclusion

In brief, fungistatic and fungicidal are two types of antifungal drugs that differ in their activity. Usually, fungistatic drugs do not kill the fungal pathogens but inhibit their growth and reproduction. In contrast, fungicidal drugs kill fungal pathogens. Especially, fungicidal drugs destroy 99.9% of fungal pathogens in vitro. Some examples of fungistatic drugs are miconazole, ketoconazole, and clotrimazole while some examples of fungicidal drugs include amphotericin B, mulundocandin, and aculeacin. Therefore, the main difference between fungistatic and fungicidal is their activity on fungal pathogens.

References:

1. “Fungistatics.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 9 June 2016.
2. “Fungicide.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Alternaria brassicicola host symptoms2” By Seemadua – Own work (CC BY 3.0 au) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Ketoconazole shampoo skin ” By Amin – Own Work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia