Abstract: Objective To study the in vivo and in vitro antifungal activity as well as in vivo antiinflammatory effect of bifonazole 1% cream. Methods Guinea pig model of dermatophyte infection was established with the inoculation of Trichonphyton mentagrophyton on the back of guinea pigs. Following the establishment of the infection, bifonazole 1% cream was topically applied to the lesions once a day until clinical and mycological cure was achieved. Clinical and mycological examination was performed daily until 2 weeks after the achievement of clinical and mycological cure. Microdilution method was utilized to test the antifungal activity of bifonazole 1% cream. The minimal inhibitory concentration （MIC） and minimal fungicidal concentration （MFC） were determined. The swelling of mouse auricle was induced by xylene and treated with bifonazole 1% cream. Terbinafine 1% cream served as the control drug. Results Bifonazole 1% cream and terbinafine 1% cream successfully controlled the dermatophyte infection in guinea pigs. As susceptibility test showed, the in vitro MIC of bifonazole cream ranged from 0.016 to 0.5 mg/L, MFC ranged from 0.063 to 2.0 mg/L for dermatophyte and Candida strains. Furthermore, bifonazole 1% cream significantly inhibited the swelling of mouse auricle induced by xylene. Conclusion Bifonazole 1% cream shows potent anti-dermatophyte, anti-candida, anti-inflammation effects.

Key words: Bifonazole cream, Dermatophytosis, Pharmacodynamics