Ferric ion (Fe3+) and polyvalent metal cations (Fe3+)

Ferric ion (Fe3+) and other polyvalent metal cations are essential micronutrients for fungal growth, serving as critical cofactors for numerous enzymes involved in cellular respiration, DNA synthesis, and the detoxification of reactive oxygen species (PubMed, PMID: 24533062). In fungal cells, these ions are required for the function of cytochromes, catalases, and peroxidases, which are vital for energy production and survival under oxidative stress. Drugs like ciclopirox act by chelating these trivalent cations, effectively sequestering them from the fungal metabolic machinery (StatPearls, 2023). This depletion leads to the inactivation of essential metal-dependent enzymes, resulting in the inhibition of fungal growth and eventual cell death. Because these ions are fundamental to fungal physiology, targeting them provides a broad-spectrum antifungal effect against various species, including yeasts and dermatophytes (PubChem CID 2749). Unlike many antifungals that target the cell membrane or wall, this mechanism targets intracellular metabolic stability. The high affinity of certain drugs for Fe3+ ensures that fungal cells are deprived of the iron necessary for their pathogenic lifecycle.

Other names

Ferric ironTrivalent ironPolyvalent metal ionsFe(III)Aluminum ion (Al3+)

Chelation of polyvalent metal cations, particularly Fe3+ and Al3+, which inhibits metal-dependent enzymes such as cytochromes, catalase, and peroxidase, leading to the disruption of essential fungal metabolic processes (StatPearls, 2023; PubChem CID 2749).