— Product
ITROSS 200 CAP S/ST
ITRACONAZOLE 200MG
ITROSS 200 CAP S/ST is a capsule of itraconazole 200 mg, a triazole antifungal. It is used for systemic and stubborn superficial fungal infections — onychomycosis, extensive or resistant tinea, oral and vaginal candidiasis, and systemic mycoses such as aspergillosis and histoplasmosis.
01
Benefits
- Broad antifungal activity covering dermatophytes, Candida species and several systemic fungal pathogens.
- Concentrates in keratin — skin, hair and nail — at levels far above plasma, and persists there for weeks after the course ends.
- That keratin persistence allows intermittent pulse dosing in nail infection, reducing total drug exposure.
- Effective in nail infection, where topical treatment alone rarely succeeds.
- Oral treatment reaches infections in sites that topical antifungals cannot.
02
Side effects
Not everyone gets these. Most are mild and settle as the course finishes.
Common
- Nausea or abdominal discomfort
- Headache
- Diarrhoea or constipation
- Altered taste
Less common
- Raised liver enzymes on testing
- Dizziness
- Skin rash or itching
- Menstrual irregularity
Stop and get medical help if any of these occur
- Yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, pale stools, or persistent nausea and loss of appetite
- Breathlessness, ankle swelling or rapid weight gain, which may indicate heart failure
- Numbness, tingling or weakness in the hands or feet
- Hearing loss
- Widespread rash with blistering or peeling skin
03
Precautions
- Contraindicated in heart failure or a history of it — itraconazole has a negative inotropic effect and can precipitate or worsen it.
- Itraconazole is a potent CYP3A4 inhibitor with a long list of serious interactions. Contraindicated with simvastatin, lovastatin, several antiarrhythmics, ergot alkaloids, midazolam and many others. Check every co-prescribed drug before starting.
- Contraindicated in pregnancy and in women of childbearing potential not using reliable contraception; contraindicated in breastfeeding.
- Check liver function before starting and periodically during courses longer than a month, and stop if hepatic symptoms develop.
- Absorption requires gastric acid — take the capsule immediately after a full meal, and avoid antacids and proton pump inhibitors around the dose, or treatment will fail.
- Use with caution in renal and hepatic impairment.
- Nail infection requires months of treatment; counsel the patient that visible improvement lags well behind the course.
- Confirm the diagnosis, ideally with a nail clipping or skin scraping, before committing a patient to a long systemic antifungal course.