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Nystatin (originally named Fungicidin) is a polyene antifungal medication that is derived from a bacterium, ''Streptomyces noursei''. Many mold and yeast infections are sensitive to nystatin, most notably ''Candida''. It is used primarily for infections involving the skin, mouth, esophagus, and vagina. Nystatin may be safely given orally, as well as applied topically, due to its minimal absorption through mucocutaneous membranes such as the gut and the skin. Due to its toxicity profile when high levels in the serum are obtained, no injectable formulations of this drug are currently on the US market. However, injectable formulations have been investigated in the past. It was discovered by Rachel Fuller Brown and Elizabeth Lee Hazen in 1950. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the most important medications needed in a basic health system. == Uses == Cutaneous, vaginal, mucosal, and esophageal ''Candida'' infections usually respond well to treatment with nystatin. It is available in many forms. Oral nystatin is often used as a preventive treatment in people who are at risk for fungal infections, such as AIDS patients with a low CD4+ count and patients receiving chemotherapy. It has been investigated for use in patients after liver transplantation, but fluconazole was found to be much more effective for preventing colonization, invasive infection, and death. It is also used in very low birth-weight (<1500 g) infants to prevent invasive fungal infections, although fluconazole is the preferred treatment. It has been found to reduce the rate of invasive fungal infections and also reduce deaths when used in these babies. Guidelines state that the use of these agents should be restricted to extremely low birth-weight infants (<1000 g) in neonatal intensive care units with high baselines of fungal infection. Liposomal nystatin is not commercially available, but investigational use has shown greater ''in vitro'' activity than colloidal formulations of amphotericin B, and demonstrated effectiveness against some amphotericin B-resistant forms of fungi.〔 It offers an intriguing possibility for difficult-to-treat systemic infections, such as invasive aspergillosis, or infections that demonstrate resistance to amphotericin B. Additionally, liposomal nystatin appears to cause fewer cases of and less severe nephrotoxicity than observed with amphotericin B.〔 ''Cryptococcus'' is also sensitive to nystatin. In the UK, its license for treating neonatal oral thrush is restricted to those over the age of one month (miconazole is an appropriate alternative for younger babies). It is prescribed in 'units', with doses varying from 100,000 (for oral infections) to 1 million (for intestinal ones). As it is not absorbed from the gut, it is safe for oral use and does not have problems of drug interactions. Although on occasional, serum levels of the drug can be identified from oral, vaginal, or cutaneous administration and lead to toxicity. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Nystatin」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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