A Review of Antifungal Natural Products Against the Pathogenic Fungi Causing Athletes' Foot Disease

Background: Athletes' food disease is a general name for the tinea pedis. This kind of disease bothers foot of billions of people with intense itching, burning and stinging. Athletes' foot disease is mainly caused by the ringworm fungi known as dermatophytes. Those dermatophytes commonly show resistance to antibiotics. Therefore dermatophytes infection recurs easily. Objective: Natural compounds from plants and microorganisms are always the most important sources of antifungal agents. In this review, the antifungal natural agents against four common tinea pedis dermatophytes (Epidermophyton floccosum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, T. tonsurans and T. rubrum) will be introduced in details. Method: These natural products are divided into 2 parts: 61 active compounds and plant extracts (including essential oils). The compounds were classified into 9 categories according to their chemical structures, which are coumarin, lignan, terpenoid, saponin, quinone, alkaloid, flavonoid, phenyl derivatives and others. Related pharmaceutical approach and extraction method of antifungal natural agents for tinea pedis will be discussed for future application.