Fluxar Mechanism of Action

Pharmacotherapeutic Group: Triazole derivatives. ATC Code: J02AC.
Pharmacology: Pharmacodynamics: Fluconazole, a triazole antifungal agent, is a potent and specific inhibitor of fungal sterol synthesis.
Both orally and intravenously administered fluconazole was active in a variety of animal fungal infection models. Activity has been demonstrated against opportunistic mycoses, such as infections with Candida spp., including systemic candidiasis in immunocompromised animals; with Cryptococcus neoformans, including intracranial infections; with Microsporum spp; and with Trichophyton spp. Fluconazole has also been shown to be active in animal models of endemic mycoses, including infections with Blastomyces dermatitides; with Coccidioides immitis, including intracranial infection; and with Histoplasma capsulatum in normal and immunosuppressed animals.
There have been reports of cases of superinfection with Candida species other than C. albicans, which are often inherently not susceptible to fluconazole (e.g., Candida krusei). Such cases may require alternative antifungal therapy.
Fluconazole is highly specific for fungal cytochrome P-450 dependent enzymes. Fluconazole 200 to 400 mg daily has no clinically significant effect on endogenous steroid levels or on ACTH stimulated response in healthy male volunteers. Interaction studies with antipyrine indicate that single of multiple doses of fluconazole 50 mg do not affect its metabolism.
Pharmacokinetics: Peak plasma concentrations in the fasting state occur between 0.5 and 1.5 hours post-dose with a plasma elimination half-life of approximately 30 hours. Plasma concentrations are proportional to dose. Ninety percent steady-state levels are reached by day 4-5 with multiple once daily dosing.
Administration of loading dose (on day 1) of twice the usual daily dose enables plasma levels to approximate to 90% steady-state levels by day 2. The apparent volume of distribution approximates to total body water. Plasma protein binding is low (11-12%).
Fluconazole achieves good penetration in all body fluids studied. The levels of fluconazole in saliva and sputum are similar to plasma levels. In patients with fungal meningitis, fluconazole levels in the CSF are approximately 80% the corresponding plasma levels.
High skin concentrations of fluconazole, above serum concentrations, are achieved in the stratum corneum, epidermis-dermis and eccrine sweat. Fluconazole accumulates in the stratum corneum. At a dose of 50 mg once daily, the concentration of fluconazole after 12 days was 73 μg/g and 7 days after cessation of treatment the concentration was still 5.8 μg/g. At the 150 mg once-a-week dose, the concentration of fluconazole in stratum corneum on day 7 was 23.4 μg/g and 7 days after the second dose was still 7.1 μg/g.
Concentration of fluconazole in nails after 4 months of 150 mg once-a-week-dosing was 4.05 μg/g in healthy and 1.8 μg/g in diseased nails; and, fluconazole was still measurable in nail samples 6 months after the end of therapy.
The major route of excretion is renal, with approximately 80% of the administered dose appearing in the urine as unchanged drug. Fluconazole clearance is proportional to creatinine clearance. There is no evidence of circulating metabolites. The long plasma elimination half-life provides the basis for single dose therapy for vaginal candidiasis, once daily and once weekly dosing for other indications.
A study compared the saliva and plasma concentrations of a single fluconazole 100 mg dose administered in a capsule or in an oral suspension by rinsing and retaining in mouth for 2 minutes and swallowing. The maximum concentration of fluconazole in saliva after the suspension was observed 5 minutes after ingestion. After about 4 hours, the saliva concentrations of fluconazole were similar. The mean AUC (0-96) in saliva was significantly greater after the suspension compared to the capsule. There was no significant difference in the elimination rate from saliva or the plasma pharmacokinetic parameters for the two formulations.
Pharmacokinetics In Children: In children, the following pharmacokinetic data have been reported: See Table 1.

Click on icon to see table/diagram/image

In premature newborns (gestational age around 28 weeks), intravenous administration of 6 mg/kg was given every third day for a maximum of five doses while the premature newborns remained in the intensive care unit. The mean half-life (hour) was 74 (range 44-185) on day 1, which decreased with time to a mean of 53 (range 30-131) on day 7and 47 (range 27-68) on day 13.
The area under the curve (mcg.h/mL) was 271 (range 173-385) on day 1, which increased with a mean of 490 (range 292-734) on day 7 and decreased with a mean of 360 (range 167-566) on day 13.
The volume of distribution (mL/kg) was 1183 (range 1070-1470) on day 1, which increased with time to a mean of 1184 (range 510-2130) on day 7 and 1328 (range1040-1680) on day 13.
Pharmacokinetics In Elderly: A pharmacokinetic study was conducted in 22 subjects, 65 years of age or older receiving a single 50 mg oral dose of fluconazole. Ten of these patients were concomitantly receiving diuretics. The Cmax was 1.54 mcg.h/mL and occurred at 1.3 hours post dose. The mean AUC was 76.4 ± 20.3 mcg.h/mL, and the mean terminal half-life was 46.2 hours. These pharmacokinetic parameter values are higher than analogous values reported for normal young male volunteers. Co-administration of diuretics did not significantly alter AUC or Cmax. In addition, creatinine clearance (74 mL/min), the percent of drug recovered unchanged in urine (0-24 hr, 22%) and the fluconazole renal clearance estimates (0.124 mL/min.kg) for the elderly were generally lower than those of younger volunteers. Thus, the alteration of fluconazole disposition in the elderly appears to be related to reduced renal function characteristic of this group. A plot of this subject's terminal elimination half-life versus creatinine clearance compared with the predicted half-life - creatinine clearance curve derived from normal subjects and subjects with varying degrees of renal insufficiency indicated that 21 of 22 subjects fell within the 95% confidence limit of the predicted half-life - creatinine clearance curves. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that higher values for the pharmacokinetic parameters observed in the elderly subjects compared with normal young male volunteers are due to the decreased kidney function that is expected in the elderly.