Treating fungal infections is challenging and frequently requires long-term courses of antifungal drugs. Considering the limited number of existing antifungal drugs, it is crucial to evaluate the possibility of repositioning drugs with antifungal properties and to revisit older antifungals for applications in combined therapy, which could widen the range of therapeutic possibilities. Undecanoic acid is a saturated medium-chain fatty acid with known antifungal effects; however, its antifungal properties have not been extensively explored. Recent advances indicate that the toxic effect of undecanoic acid involves modulation of fungal metabolism through its effects on the expression of fungal genes that are critical for virulence. Additionally, undecanoic acid is suitable for chemical modification and might be useful in synergic therapies. This review highlights the use of undecanoic acid in antifungal treatments, reinforcing its known activity against dermatophytes. Specifically, in Trichophyton rubrum, against which the activity of undecanoic acid has been most widely studied, undecanoic acid elicits profound effects on pivotal processes in the cell wall, membrane assembly, lipid metabolism, pathogenesis, and even mRNA processing. Considering the known antifungal activities and associated mechanisms of undecanoic acid, its potential use in combination therapy, and the ability to modify the parent compound structure, undecanoic acid shows promise as a novel therapeutic against fungal infections.

治疗真菌感染具有挑战性，通常需要长期服用抗真菌药物。考虑到现有抗真菌药物的数量有限，评估重新定位具有抗真菌特性的药物的可能性以及重新审视旧抗真菌药物在联合治疗中的应用至关重要，这可能会扩大治疗可能性的范围。十一酸是一种饱和的中链脂肪酸，具有已知的抗真菌作用；然而，其抗真菌特性尚未得到广泛探索。最近的进展表明，十一烷酸的毒性作用涉及通过其对毒力至关重要的真菌基因表达的影响来调节真菌代谢。此外，十一烷酸适用于化学修饰，可能可用于协同治疗。本综述重点介绍了十一酸在抗真菌治疗中的应用，增强了其已知的抗皮肤癣菌活性。具体来说，在红色毛癣菌，十一酸的活性已得到最广泛的研究，十一酸对细胞壁、膜组装、脂质代谢、发病机制甚至 mRNA 加工的关键过程产生深远的影响。考虑到十一烷酸已知的抗真菌活性和相关机制、其在联合治疗中的潜在用途以及改变母体化合物结构的能力，十一烷酸显示出作为抗真菌感染的新型治疗剂的前景。