Low-Voltage Direct Current as a Fungicidal Agent for Treating Onychomycosis

Abstract

Onychomycosis, most commonly caused by two species of dermatophyte fungi—Trichophyton rubrum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes—is primarily treated with regimens of topical and systemic antifungal medications. This study was undertaken to evaluate in vitro the efficacy of low-voltage direct current as an antifungal agent for treating onychomycosis. Agar plate cultures of T rubrum and T mentagrophytes were subjected to low-voltage direct current electrostimulation, and antifungal effects were observed as zones in the agar around the electrodes lacking fungal growth. Zones devoid of fungal growth were observed for T rubrum and T mentagrophytes around anodes and cathodes in a dose-dependent manner in the current range of 500 μA to 3 mA. Low-voltage direct current electrostimulation has great clinical potential for the treatment of onychomycosis and perhaps other superficial maladies of fungal etiology. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 94(6): 565–572, 2004)