JAPMA
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Kalinowski, D. P.
Right arrow Articles by Brogan, M. S.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Kalinowski, D. P.
Right arrow Articles by Brogan, M. S.
Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association
Volume 94 Number 6 565-572 2004
Copyright © 2004 American Podiatric Medical Association

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

Douglas P. Kalinowski, PhD *, Laura E. Edsberg, PhD {dagger}, Robert A. Hewson, DPM {ddagger}, Robert H. Johnson, PhD § and Michael S. Brogan, MS, DPT ||

* Department of Natural Sciences, Daemen College, Amherst, NY.
{dagger} Natural and Health Sciences Research Center, Daemen College, Amherst, NY.
{ddagger} Private practice, Buffalo, NY.
§ Department of Mathematics and Sciences, Medaille College, Buffalo, NY.
|| Department of Physical Therapy, Daemen College, Amherst, NY.

Corresponding author: Douglas P. Kalinowski, PhD, Department of Natural Sciences, Daemen College, 4380 Main St, Amherst, NY 14226.

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)






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2004 by the American Podiatric Medical Association.