title: Clinical efficacy and tolerability of terbinafine in patients with pityriasis versicolor.
abstract: The antifungal efficacy and tolerability of 1% terbinafine cream vs. 1% bifonazole cream were assessed in a single blind randomized trial in patients with pityriasis versicolor. Terbinafine, a drug of the allylamines group, a new class of anti-mycotic agents, blocks sterol biosynthesis in the pathogen through inhibition of squalene epoxidase and consequent squalene accumulation, a primarily fungicidal process. Forty pityriasis versicolor patients, (18 M, 22 F; mean age 32.4 years; min. 16, max. 65), used 1% terbinafine cream or 1% bifonazole cream for a maximum of 4 weeks. All patients were followed-up weekly both clinically and mycologically. Clinical cures, defined as negativization of each clinical parameter, were recorded for 20 terbinafine patients (100%) and 19 bifonazole patients (95%), with routine microscopy and Wood's light tests both negative. By the 2nd week of treatment, 2 terbinafine patients were mycologically cured (10%). By the 3rd week, 14 terbinafine patients (70%) and 5 bifonazole patients (25%) were mycologically cured. The present controlled clinical trial consequently demonstrates that terbinafine is rapidly effective and well tolerated for treatment of pityriasis versicolor.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Dermatology, University of Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aste
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pau
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Pinna
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Biggio
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009281:Naphthalenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D000077291:Terbinafine; D014010:Tinea Versicolor / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D007093:Imidazoles; D009281:Naphthalenes; D000077291:Terbinafine; C036596:bifonazole