Antifungal Grifulvin (griseofulvin)
The brand name of Griseofulvin is Grifulvin. It is an antifungal medicine used to treat fungal infections of skin hair and nails also known as ringworm infections.
Mechanism of action (MOA)
It works by blocking the microtubule function and binds to tubulin. Also it binds with hair growing cells known as keratin precursor cells and prevents fungal infection. Griseofulvin also binds to fungal micro tubules after entering dermatophyte through transport processes that are energy dependent. This alters the process of fungal cell wall deposition and mitosis.
Uses of Grifulvin
It is mainly used to treat ringworm infections like skin, hair, nails and beard that are not responding to lotions and cream. The symptoms abate slowly and then vanishes. It treats only fungal infection and not bacteria and yeast.
Dosage and Administration
For adults
The dose of 500 mg daily once a day for tinea corporis, tinea capitis and tinea cruris.
For tinea pedis and tinea unguium a dose of 0.1 g is needed.
For children
Dose is weight dependent.
For ex- children with 30-50 pounds of weight – 125mg to 250mg.
Children with over 50 pounds of weight – 250mg to 500mg.
The treatment should not be abandoned in between, complete the therapy as advised by the doctor. Maintain hygiene as infection of nails take atleast 4 months to clear. All other skin and hair infection will last not more than 4-8 weeks.
Side-Effects of Grifulvin
Common side-effects:
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Itching
- Confusion
- Headache
- Urticaria
- Dizziness
- Diarrhoea
- Confusion
- Rashes
- Oral thrush
- Phototoxicity
- Swelling
- Paresthesia
- Upper abdominal pain
- Steven-johnson syndrome
- Nausea
- Oral thrush
- Mutagen
- Impairment of liver enzymatic activity
Some serious side-effects:
- Fever
- Dark urine
- White patches in your mouth
- Vaginal discharge
- Muscle pain
- Butterfly rash
- Proteinuria
- Leukopenia
- Granulocytopenia
- Erythema
Precaution and Warning
Patient should give full personal and family history to the doctor. Before taking the medicine tell your doctor of any allergic reaction you have, sometimes prolong usage of medicine may alter the level of hormone in your body. If you ever notice any skin reaction or elevation in your AST, ALT levels or if your skin turns yellow due to jaundice please consult your doctor.
Pregnancy and Breast-Feeding
It is not known if the medicine is harmful in pregnancy or not because no research has been done on humans but animal studies show teratogenic effects.
It is also not known if it secretes into the milk or not but for potential risk avoid during nursing.
Drug Interaction
Drugs like oral contraceptives, barbiturates, oral anticoagulants, budesonide, carbamazepine, aspirin, clopidogrel, amiodarone, cortisone, diazepam, lopinavir, indinavir, paclitaxel etc are the drugs that should not be combined with Grifulvin. The document does not contain all the drugs that are harmful when combined with Grifulvin.
Brand names
Fulvicin, Grifulvin V, Gris-PEG, Grisactin, Grisovin FP, Fulcin S, Gricin, Griseo, Likuden M, Polygris, Grisol, Grisovin.
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