Amphotericin B used to treat progressive, potentially life-threatening fungal infections, such as oral thrush, vaginal candidiasis and esophageal candidiasis in patients with normal neutrophil counts. Also, Amphotericin B is often used in otherwise-untreatable protozoan infections such as visceral leishmaniasis and primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. As with other polyene antifungals, amphotericin B binds with ergosterol, a component of fungal cell membranes, forming a transmembrane channel that leads to monovalent ion (K+, Na+, H+ and Cl−) leakage, which is the primary effect leading to fungal cell death. When administered concurrently, the following drugs may interact with amphotericin B: Antineoplastic agents, Corticosteroids and Corticotropin (ACTH); Digitalis glycosides; Flucytosine; Imidazoles (e.g., ketoconazole, miconazole, clotrimazole, fluconazole, etc.); Zidovudine; Skeletal muscle relaxants (tubocurarine); Rifabutin; Leukocyte transfusions. The adverse reactions most commonly observed are: fever; malaise; weight loss; hypotension; tachypnea; anorexia; nausea; vomiting; diarrhea; dyspepsia; cramping epigastric pain; normochromic, normocytic anemia; pain at the injection site with or without phlebitis or thrombophlebitis; generalized pain, including muscle and joint pains; headache; decreased renal function and renal function abnormalities.

AMPHOTERICIN B CHOLESTERYL SULFATE COMPLEX (AMPHOTEC) is an antifungal medicine. AMPHOTEC® is a sterile, pyrogen-free, lyophilized powder for reconstitution and intravenous (IV) administration. AMPHOTEC consists of a 1:1 (molar ratio) complex of amphotericin B and cholesteryl sulfate. AMPHOTEC is indicated for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis in patients where renal impairment or unacceptable toxicity precludes the use of amphotericin B deoxycholate in effective doses, and in patients with invasive aspergillosis where prior amphotericin B deoxycholate therapy has failed. The active ingredient of AMPHOTEC, amphotericin B, is a polyene antibiotic that acts by binding to sterols (primarily ergosterol) in cell membranes of sensitive fungi, with subsequent leakage of intracellular contents and cell death due to changes in membrane permeability. Amphotericin B also binds to the sterols (primarily cholesterol) in mammalian cell membranes, which is believed to account for its toxicity in animals and humans. AMPHOTEC is active against Aspergillus spp (A. fumigatus, A. flavus), Candida spp (C. albicans, C. krusei, C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis), Cryptococcus neoformans, and Blastomyces dermatitidis. Active against most fungi with the notable exceptions of Candida lusitaniae, Trichosporon beigelii, Aspergillus terreus (some isolates), Pseudallescheria boydii, Malassezia furfur and Fusarium spp. The lipid formulations are designed to reduce binding of amphotericin to mammalian cell membranes, therefore reducing toxicities.

Amphotericin B methyl ester (also known as metamphocin), a more soluble and less toxic formulation of amphotericin B, is a new antifungal polyene antibiotic, which was studied to treat ocular mycoses and was proposed to treat Candida endophthalmitis. The suggested mechanism of its action includes the binding of this drug with the ergosterol-containing membranes.