The effect of subinhibitory concentrations of octenidine and pirtenidine on the lipid and sterol composition of Candida albicans was investigated. The total lipid and sterol contents of C. albicans grown in the presence of either octenidine or pirtenidine were reduced compared with control-grown cells. The major differences in the lipid composition of drug-grown and control cells were phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine and monogalactosyldiacylglycerol, which increased in the presence of octenidine and pirtenidine. Lower proportions of phosphatidic acid were found in yeasts grown in the presence of the drugs when compared with control C. albicans. Fatty acid analysis of control-grown cells showed that the major fatty acids were C₁₆ and C₁₈. Drug-grown cells had higher proportions of palmitic and linolenic acids but lower proportion of oleic acid. The C₁₆/C₁₈ ratios were higher for octenidine- and pirtenidine-grown cells than control cells. Differences in the fatty acid composition of major phospholipids and neutral lipids between drug-grown and control yeasts were also observed. Sterol analysis of control-grown cells showed that the major sterol present was ergosterol (65.9%). A significant increase in squalene and 4,14-dimethylzymosterol was observed in pirtenidine-treated cells, while octenidine-treated cells showed an increase in zymosterol and obtusifoliol contents. Our results suggest that octenidine and pirtenidine affect the lipids and sterol of C. albicans in different ways. The implications of these findings on the mode of action of these two drugs is discussed.