Which antifungal agent is commonly used to treat dermatophyte infections?

The choice of terbinafine as the antifungal agent commonly used to treat dermatophyte infections is well-founded based on its specific mechanism of action and effectiveness. Terbinafine is an allylamine antifungal that works primarily by inhibiting the enzyme squalene epoxidase, which plays a crucial role in the biosynthesis of ergosterol, an essential component of fungal cell membranes. By disrupting ergosterol production, terbinafine compromises the integrity of the fungal cell membrane, leading to cell death.

Terbinafine has broad-spectrum activity against various dermatophytes responsible for skin infections such as tinea pedis (athlete's foot), tinea cruris (jock itch), and tinea corporis (ringworm). It is often preferred because it can be administered both topically for localized infections and systemically for more extensive or difficult cases.

Other antifungal agents listed serve different purposes; for instance, itraconazole and fluconazole are azole antifungals typically effective against systemic fungal infections and some yeasts rather than dermatophytes. Caspofungin is an echinocandin that is primarily used for invasive fungal infections caused by Candida and Aspergillus species, further differentiating its application from