The action of inhibitors on dermatophytes

During recent years there has been a considerable increase in the incidence of infections due to the dermatophytes, and a correspondingly increased interest in the treatment of such infections with fungicides (Goldsmith & Hellier, 1954). Little is known, however, of the mechanism of action of fungicides upon these organisms nor of their detailed metabolism upon which a rational study of fungicide action might be based. Respiratory activity of agar cultures of a number of dermato- phytes was studied by Nickerson & Chadwick (1946), and inhibitory activity ofsodium propionate and undecylenate demonstrated. Melton (1951) studied the respiration of submerged cultures of Micro8porum cani8 showing the inhibiting activity of propionic, butyric and undecylenic acids and sodium cyanide, and Bentley (1953) determined * 0 1M citrate-0 13m phosphate buffer, pH 4 0.