Terbinafine

Information about Terbinafine

Terbinafine Uses

Terbinafine is used in the treatment of fungal infections.

How Terbinafine works

Terbinafine is an antifungal medication. It kills and stops the growth of the fungi by destroying its cell membrane, thereby treating your skin infection.

Common side effects of Terbinafine

Headache, Diarrhea, Rash, Indigestion, Abnormal liver enzyme, Itching, Taste change, Nausea, Abdominal pain, Flatulence
CONTENT DETAILS
Written By
Dr. Love Sharma
PhD (Pharmacology), PGDPRA
Reviewed By
Dr. Shilpa Garcha
MD (Pharmacology), MBBS
Last updated:
13 Jul 2021 | 07:08 AM (UTC)

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Available Medicine for Terbinafine

TerbinaforceMankind Pharma Ltd
₹66 to ₹1524 variant(s)
SebifinSun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd
₹110 to ₹3974 variant(s)
TetmosolPiramal Enterprises Ltd
₹49 to ₹1093 variant(s)
TyzaAbbott
₹89 to ₹2257 variant(s)
TerbestSystopic Laboratories Pvt Ltd
₹58 to ₹1495 variant(s)
IfinGlenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd
₹107 to ₹2414 variant(s)
Gris ODTDr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd
₹70 to ₹2013 variant(s)
TerbicipCipla Ltd
₹108 to ₹3904 variant(s)
ZimigGlaxo SmithKline Pharmaceuticals Ltd
₹83 to ₹3092 variant(s)
TrfyHegde and Hegde Pharmaceutical LLP
₹152 to ₹2794 variant(s)

Expert advice for Terbinafine

  • Terbinafine helps treat fungal infections of the skin and nails.
  • Do not skip any doses and finish the full course of treatment even if you feel better.
  • Treatment may be needed for 2 to 6 weeks for skin infections and 6 weeks to 6 months for nail infections.
  • It can make your skin more sensitive to sun. Use broad-spectrum sunscreen and protective clothing when outdoors.
  • Your doctor may monitor your liver function regularly during treatment. Inform your doctor if you notice yellowing of eyes or skin, dark urine, or stomach pain.
  • Inform your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to conceive or breastfeeding.

Frequently asked questions for Terbinafine

Terbinafine

Q. Can Terbinafine be safe for use in patients with liver cirrhosis?

Oral intake of Terbinafine is not recommended in patients with chronic or active liver disease. Your doctor may prescribe a liver function test to check whether the liver is functioning effectively or not. This is done because the medicine gets metabolized by liver enzymes and any inefficiency in liver function can lead to increased levels of the medication in the blood, resulting in increased side effects and toxicity. Therefore, it is important to inform your doctor if you have any liver disease or cirrhosis. Also, inform your doctor about the medicines you may be taking as taking Terbinafine with another medicine can lead to liver toxicity and Terbinafine by acting on the liver enzymes can change the levels of other drugs. Your doctor may suggest periodic monitoring (after 4-6 weeks of treatment) of liver function test and make dose adjustments accordingly.

Q. Can I drink tea or coffee while taking Terbinafine?

Caffeinated drinks like tea and coffee should be taken with caution while being on treatment with Terbinafine. Terbinafine decreases the rate of metabolism of caffeine by 19% which is an important constituent of coffee, thereby increasing the levels of caffeine in the blood. This increased levels of caffeine may lead to side effects such as jitteriness, headache, increased heartbeat and restlessness.

Q. How long do I need to take Terbinafine?

The usual duration of treatment for Tinea pedis (fungal infection in the foot), Tinea corporis (ringworms) and Tinea cruris (fungal infection in the groin) is about 2 to 4 weeks. However, the duration may sometimes be extended to 6 weeks. Usually, the duration of treatment for fungal infections of nails varies from 6 to 12 weeks. For fingernail fungal infections, it may take 6 weeks whereas toenail fungal infection may take about 12 weeks to recover. However, the exact duration of the therapy is decided by the doctor depending upon the type of infection, the site of infection, and the patient’s response to the therapy.

Q. Does Terbinafine cause any skin reactions?

Yes, sensitive individuals may develop skin reactions while using Terbinafine. However, there are rare reports of people developing serious skin/hypersensitivity reactions like Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis and other severe skin reactions with Terbinafine. Therefore, do not take this medication without consulting your physician. Immediately stop the medication and inform your doctor if you develop any type of skin reaction or rashes.

Q. Is Terbinafine effective?

Terbinafine is effective as an anti fungal medicine if used in the dose and duration advised by your doctor. Do not stop taking it even if you see improvement in your condition. If you stop taking this medicine too early, the fungus may continue to grow and the infection may return or worsen.

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