BIFONAZOLE IS A SUBSTITUTED IMIDAZOLE ANTIFUNGAL AGENT STRUCTURALLY RELATED TO OTHER DRUGS IN THIS GROUP. IT POSSESSES A BROAD SPECTRUM OF ACTIVITY IN VITRO AGAINST DERMATOPHYTES, MOULDS, YEASTS, DIMORPHIC FUNGI AND SOME GRAM-POSITIVE BACTERIA.
BIFONAZOLE HAS DUAL MODE OF ACTION - IT BLOCKS TRANSFORMATION OF 24-METHYLENDIHYDROLANOSTEROLE TO DESMETHYLSTEROL IN FUNGI TOGETHER WITH INHIBITION OF HMG-COA. THAT'S WHY IT HAS FUNGICIDAL PROPERTIES AGAINST DERMATOPHYTES. THIS MAKES THE DIFFERENCE AMONG OTHER ANTIFUNGAL DRUGS. IT POSSESSES ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY. LIKE OTHER IMIDAZOLES, IT WOULD SEEM THAT BIFONAZOLE EXERTS ITS ANTIFUNGAL EFFECTS BY DESTROYING THE CAPACITY OF THE FUNGAL CELL MEMBRANE TO MAINTAIN THE INTRACELLULAR ENVIRONMENT.