Clotrimazole

Clotrimazole
Clinical data
Trade namesLotrimin, others
AHFS/Drugs.comMonograph
MedlinePlusa682753
License data
Pregnancy
category
  • AU: A
Routes of
administration		Topical, throat lozenge
ATC code
Legal status
Legal status
  • CA: OTC
  • US: OTC (topical), Rx-only (by mouth)
Pharmacokinetic data
BioavailabilityPoor absorption by mouth (lozenge), negligible absorption through intact skin (topical)
Protein binding90%
MetabolismLiver
Elimination half-life2 hours
Identifiers
  • 1-[(2-Chlorophenyl)(diphenyl)methyl]-1H-imidazole
CAS Number
PubChem CID
IUPHAR/BPS
DrugBank
ChemSpider
UNII
KEGG
ChEBI
ChEMBL
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
ECHA InfoCard100.041.589 Edit this at Wikidata
Chemical and physical data
FormulaC22H17ClN2
Molar mass344.84 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)
Melting point147 to 149 °C (297 to 300 °F)
  • Clc1ccccc1C(c2ccccc2)(c3ccccc3)n4ccnc4
  • InChI=1S/C22H17ClN2/c23-21-14-8-7-13-20(21)22(25-16-15-24-17-25,18-9-3-1-4-10-18)19-11-5-2-6-12-19/h1-17H
  • Key:VNFPBHJOKIVQEB-UHFFFAOYSA-N

Clotrimazole is an antifungal medication. It is sold under the brand name Lotrimin. It has other names. Clotrimazole is used to treat vaginal yeast infections, oral thrush, diaper rash, tinea versicolor, and types of fungal infections of the skin, this includes athlete's foot and jock itch. It works by damaging the fungal cell membrane. It can be taken by mouth or applied as a cream to the skin or in and around the vagina.

Common side effects of clotrimazole taken by mouth include nausea and itchiness. When it is applied to the skin, it can cause redness and a feeling like burning. If a woman is pregnant, this medicine is considered to be safe.

Clotrimazole was discovered in 1969. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. It is available as a generic medication. In 2023, it was the 259th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 1 million prescriptions.

Medical uses

Clotrimazole is available without a doctor's prescription. It comes as skin cream, ointment, or vaginal suppository. An effective treatment option for mixed infectious vaginitis is a combination of clotrimazole and metronidazole.

Topical clotrimazole does not work in the treatment for fungal infections of the scalp or nails. When the toenail is clipped and made smaller, clotrimazole cream can work in the treatment of toe nail fungus (onychomycosis).

Throat lozenge preparations are used for orophatoryngeal candidiasis (oral thrush) or prevention of oral thrush in people with neutropenia.

Clotrimazole may be used with a glucocorticoid, such as betamethasone. It is used in a topical cream for the treatment of tinea corporis (ringworm), tinea cruris (jock itch), and tinea pedis (athlete's foot).

Additionally, clotrimazole may be used to treat the sickling of cells (related to sickle cell anemia).

Small amounts of clotrimazole may be absorbed by the body after topical and vaginal administration. However, topical clotrimazole is safe to use to treat yeast infections in pregnant women and is a safer alternative to other antifungals.

Side effects

Side effects of the oral formulation include itching, nausea, and vomiting. Less than 10% of patients using the oral formulation may have abnormal liver function tests. Side effects include rash, hives, blisters, burning, itching, peeling, redness, swelling, pain, or other signs of skin irritation. When used to treat vulvovaginal candidiasis (yeast infection), less than 10% of patients have vulvar or vaginal burning sensation. Less than 1% of patients have the following side effects: burning or itching of the penis of a sexual partner; polyuria; vulvar itching, soreness, edema, or discharge.

Clotrimazole creams and suppositories contain oil which may weaken latex condoms and diaphragms.

Interactions

There are no known significant drug interactions with topical clotrimazole.

Pharmacology

Pharmacodynamics

Clotrimazole works by stopping the growth of individual Candida or fungal cells by changing the permeability of the fungal cell wall. Clotrimazole may slow fungal growth or result in fungal cell death.

Society and culture

Canesten brand Clotrimazole antifungal cream

Clotrimazole is available as a generic medication, and in 2016, Canesten brand clotrimazole was one of the biggest-selling branded over-the-counter medications sold in Great Britain, with sales of £39.2 million.

References

  1. ↑ "Product monograph brand safety updates". Health Canada. 6 June 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  2. ↑ "Lotrimin Antifungal- clotrimazole cream". DailyMed. 6 December 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  3. ↑ "Lotrimin- clotrimazole cream". DailyMed. 6 December 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  4. ↑ "Lotrimin- clotrimazole cream". DailyMed. 6 December 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2025.
  5. ↑
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (8 February 2016). "Clotrimazole Monograph for Professionals". Drugs.com. Archived from the original on 28 October 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  7. ↑ Walker SR (2012). Trends and Changes in Drug Research and Development. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 109. ISBN 978-94-009-2659-2. Archived from the original on 14 September 2016.
  8. ↑ World Health Organization (2025). The selection and use of essential medicines, 2025: WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, 24th list. Geneva: World Health Organization. doi:10.2471/B09474. hdl:10665/382243. License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.
  9. ↑ "The Top 300 of 2023". ClinCalc. Archived from the original on 17 August 2025. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  10. ↑ "Clotrimazole Drug Usage Statistics, United States, 2014 - 2023". ClinCalc. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  11. 1 2 3 "Clotrimazole (Oral)". Lexicomp Online. Archived from the original on 23 January 2015. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  12. ↑ Huang Y, Shen C, Shen Y, Cui H (January 2024). "Assessing the Efficacy of Clotrimazole and Metronidazole Combined Treatment in Vaginitis: A Meta-Analysis" (PDF). Altern Ther Health Med. 30 (1): 186–191. PMID 37773671. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  13. ↑ Khatter N, Khan M (19 January 2025). "Clotrimazole". National Library of Medicine. NIH. PMID 32809478. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
  14. ↑ Davies KJ (2006-03-01). "Study to determine the efficacy of Clotrimazole 1% cream for the treatment of onychomycosis in association with the mechanical reduction of the nail plate". The Foot. 16 (1): 19–22. doi:10.1016/j.foot.2005.10.004. ISSN 0958-2592.
  15. ↑ "UpToDate". www.uptodate.com. Archived from the original on 17 October 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  16. ↑ Marieb EN, Hoehn K. Human Anatomy and Physiology. Toronto: Pearson. p. 643.
  17. ↑ Rodgers G. "Hydroxyurea and other disease-modifying therapies in sickle cell disease". UpToDate. Archived from the original on 15 April 2014. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
  18. ↑ Patel VM, Schwartz RA, Lambert WC (September 2017). "Topical antiviral and antifungal medications in pregnancy: a review of safety profiles". Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. 31 (9): 1440–1446. doi:10.1111/jdv.14297. PMID 28449377. S2CID 544751.
  19. 1 2 "Diseases Characterized by Vaginal Discharge". U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Archived from the original on 28 April 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  20. ↑ "Clotrimazole: MedlinePlus Drug Information". The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. Archived from the original on 18 April 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  21. ↑ "A breakdown of the over-the-counter medicines market in Britain in 2016". The Pharmaceutical Journal. 12 February 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2025.