Any of a large class of compounds characterized by a five-membered ring which contains an atom of nitrogen and at least one other noncarbon atom (nitrogen, oxygen, sulphur). The prefixes furo-, thio, and pyrro- are used to distinguish three subclasses of azoles, which may be regarded as derived respectively from furfuran, thiophene, and pyrrol by replacement of the CH group by nitrogen; as, furo-monazole. Names exactly analogous to those for the azines are also used; as, oxazole, diazole, etc.

A class of antifungal medications that acts by inhibiting cytochrome p450 and ergosterol production, thus inhibiting cell wall synthesis. More information on oral itraconazole.

An azole is a class of five-membered nitrogen heterocyclic ring compounds containing at least one other noncarbon atom, nitrogen, sulfur or oxygen. The parent compounds are aromatic and have two double bonds; there are successively reduced analogs (azolines and azolidines) with less. Names of azoles maintain the prefix upon reduction (such as pyrazoline, pyrazolidine), except for pyrrole, which has no -azole suffix and is reduced to pyrroline and pyrrolidine.