Ketoconazole, sold under the brand name Nizoral among others, is an antiandrogen and antifungal medication used to treat a number of fungal infections. Applied to the skin it is used for fungal skin infections such as tinea, cutaneous candidiasis, pityriasis versicolor, dandruff, and seborrheic dermatitis. Taken by mouth it is a less preferred option and only recommended for severe infections when other agents cannot be used. Other uses include treatment of excessive male-patterned hair growth in women and Cushings syndrome.Common side effects when applied to the skin include redness. Common side effects when taken by mouth include nausea, headache, and liver problems. Liver problems may result in death or the need for a liver transplantation. Other severe side effects when taken by mouth include QT prolongation, adrenocortical insufficiency, and anaphylaxis. It is an imidazole and works by hindering the production of ergosterol required for the fungal cell membrane, thereby slowing growth.Ketoconazole was patented in 1977 by Belgian pharmaceutical company Janssen, and came into medical use in 1981. It is available as a generic medication and formulations that are applied to the skin are over the counter in the United Kingdom. In 2019, it was the 171st most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 3 million prescriptions. The formulation that is taken by mouth was withdrawn in the European Union and in Australia in 2013, and in China in 2015. In addition, its use was restricted in the United States and Canada in 2013.
Oral ketoconazole is now only indicated for use in these countries when the indication is a severe or life-threatening systemic infection and alternatives are unavailable. However, topical ketoconazole, which does not distribute systemically, is safe and widely used still.Ketoconazole HRA was approved for use in the European Union for treatment of Cushings syndrome in November 2013.As of March 2019, oral levoketoconazole (developmental code name COR-003, tentative brand name Recorlev) is phase III clinical trials for the treatment of Cushings syndrome. Oral levoketoconazole may have a lower risk of liver toxicity than oral ketoconazole. Society and culture
Generic names
Ketoconazole is the generic name of the drug and its INN, USAN, BAN, and JAN. Brand names
Ketoconazole has been marketed under a large number of brand names. Availability
Ketoconazole is available widely throughout the world.In 2013, the European Medicines Agencys Committee on Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) recommended that a ban be imposed on the use of oral ketoconazole for systemic use in humans throughout the European Union, after concluding that the risk of serious liver injury from systemic ketoconazole outweighs its benefits. Veterinary use
Ketoconazole is sometimes prescribed as an antifungal by veterinarians for use in pets, often as unflavored tablets that may need to be cut to smaller size for correct dosage. References
External links
"Ketoconazole". Drug Information Portal. U.S. National Library of Medicine.