Grifulvin V

What Grifulvin V treats

Grifulvin V is griseofulvin 250mg in tablet form, an oral antifungal for infections that have settled into skin, hair or nails. It clears ringworm on the body, jock itch and athlete's foot, and fungal infections of the scalp, fingernails and toenails. Ringworm, jock itch and athlete's foot are all dermatophyte infections — fungi that feed on keratin, the protein that skin, hair and nails are built from. The drug travels through the blood and binds to new keratin as it forms, so the fresh tissue resists the fungus; the infected layer is shed as part of normal growth.

How to take it

Grifulvin V goes down with a meal, ideally one with some fat in it, which lets more of the drug reach the blood. Depending on the infection, the daily amount is taken at once or divided into two to four doses. A course is measured in weeks. Skin needs 2 to 4 weeks, scalp and hair 4 to 6, and foot infections 4 to 8, while fingernails take 3 to 4 months and toenails at least 6. Itch and redness often settle within days, long before the fungus has gone, so judge the course by its length and not by how the skin looks.

Side effects

Headache and stomach trouble are the usual complaints — nausea, loose stools, thirst, tiredness, dizziness. Bright sunlight can sting more than usual while you are taking it, so cover up and use sunscreen on sunny days. A fever, sore throat, mouth sores or a spreading rash are signs of a serious reaction. Griseofulvin is not used during pregnancy, and it is avoided by people with porphyria (a rare metabolic disorder) or serious liver disease.

Grifulvin V or Fulvicin?

Both are griseofulvin 250mg tablets, so the medicine inside is the same; the difference is the brand name. Fulvicin is the other listing here, and both sit in the antifungal range. For more on the ingredient and the forms it comes in, see griseofulvin.