Oxiconazole Nitrate: Pharmacology, Efficacy, and Safety of a New Imidazole Antifungal Agent

Oxiconazole nitrate (1%) cream, introduced in the U.S. in 1989, was used for once-daily treatment of fungal infections like tinea pedis, tinea cruris, tinea corporis, and tinea versicolor. It showed high in vitro effectiveness against various dermatophytes and maintained fungicidal concentrations in the skin for over 16 hours. Clinical trials demonstrated that a 4-week treatment for tinea pedis and a 2-week treatment for other infections resulted in mycologic and clinical cures in at least 80% of patients. Oxiconazole was as effective as or more effective than other antifungal creams like miconazole and clotrimazole, with similar tolerability and better irritation profiles compared to econazole. The cream had no systemic effects due to minimal absorption, making it suitable for patients with compliance issues with multi-daily regimens.