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Antitinea Drugs

Fungal infection

Tinea is an infectious skin disease caused by fungal parasites on the skin. Fungus is a parasitic microorganism fond of warm and humid environment. Things going “mouldy”, a common phenomenon in our everyday life, is one example of fungal growth. Common types of tinea found on humans are:

  1. Tinea pedis (commonly known as “athlete’s foot”) usually infects the skin between toes. There may be symptoms of blisters or peeling off of dry and cracked skin, resulting in strong itchiness at the infected sites. Improper treatment may lead to the development of bacterial dermatitis and pus-producing lesions.
  2. Tinea corporis is a collective term for tinea which infects the body, typically trunk, neck and limbs. It is sometimes known as tinea glabrosa or tinea circinata.
  3. Tinea cruris (also known as “jock itch”) is the tinea which infects the groin area. It may affect the inner sides of the upper thighs, and may occasionally extend to the abdomen and buttocks.
  4. Tinea unguium is the tinea which usually infects toe nails and sometimes finger nails. Infected nails will show a change in colour and shape as well as an increase in thickness.
  5. Tinea versicolor (pityriasis versicolor) is a kind of fungal infection in which light-coloured patches are developed on skin. Infected sites may become itchy.

Note: Psoriasis is NOT a fungal infection, and itself is NOT infectious. Antitinea drugs do not work for this kind of skin disease. Medical advice and treatment should be sought.


Classification of the Drugs

When considering the ways of treatment of antitinea drugs, it can be divided into two main overall groups, namely external and oral.

  1. External Preparations

    “External” means those preparations that are applied locally (topically) on the affected areas. Common examples of antitinea drugs of external preparations include creams, ointments, shampoos and nail lacquers.

    Creams are in a water base and are very common antitinea preparations. Ointments are in an oil base and are suitable for dry and cracked skin. Nail lacquers are especially useful for tinea unguium. Shampoos are mostly used for conditions like dandruff (pityriasis capitis) and pityriasis versicolor.

    As mentioned above, creams are most common for antitineas. Creams containing undecenoic acid (and its zinc undecenoate) or naftifine are available over the counter. But for creams containing imidazoles (e.g. clotrimazole, miconazole, econazole, and ketoconazole) or terbinafine, they may be available as drugs under supervised sales.

    For ointments, compound benzoic acid ointment containing both benzoic acid and salicylic acid are available over the counter.

    Nail lacquer preparations containing amorolfine are available over the counter, while those containing tioconazole are drugs under supervised sales.

    As for shampoos, preparations containing selenium sulfide are available over the counter, while those containing ketoconazole are drugs under supervised sales.

  2. Oral Preparations

    Antitinea drugs taken orally are indicated for patients whose tinea infections do not respond to external preparations. They are also used when the infections have spread extensively around the body.

    Oral preparations containing griseofulvin or terbinafine are commonly prescribed for tinea unguium or tinea corporis which is unresponsive to externally applied antitinea medications. These oral preparations are prescription drugs, and should only be taken under doctor’s supervision.

Advice on Medication

  1. In general, externally applied antitinea drugs are sufficient for minor tinea infections. Patience is required in treating tinea. Infected areas should be treated with care to prevent bacterial infection. Areas infected previously but already fully recovered still have to remain clean to prevent relapses. Oral medication may take a longer time to work. For example, oral drugs for tinea unguium have to be taken regularly for at least a few months before they can become effective. Persistence should be exercised during medication for complete recovery.
  2. Before applying external preparations, it is important to thoroughly clean and dry the infected sites.
  3. External preparations may cause local skin reactions, such as itchiness, redness, swelling, or other allergic symptoms. Some oral antitineas may have side effects like headaches, gastric discomfort, diarrhea, or vomiting. If you experience any discomfort after the medications, seek medical advice for help.
  4. It is important to avoid using antitinea drugs without proper guidance from healthcare professionals, as this may worsen the condition and make treatment more challenging. In particular, avoid indiscriminately using steroid-containing drugs, as they can promote fungal growth and complicate your condition.


Storage of the Drugs

The drugs should be stored in a dry and cool place. Generally, they do not need to be refrigerated unless otherwise stated on the labels. Also, drugs should be stored properly to avoid accidents of mistaken consumption by children.

Drug Office
Department of Health
Oct 2023
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