Commonside effects of clotrimazole taken by mouth include nausea and itchiness.[5] When it is applied to the skin, common side effects include redness and a burning sensation.[5] Inpregnancy, topical use, even in the vagina, is believed to be safe, nor is there evidence of harm by oral use, but the latter has been less well studied.[5]
An effective treatment option for mixed infectious vaginitis is a combination of clotrimazole andmetronidazole.[11]
Topical clotrimazole is usually not effective in the treatment of fungal infections of the scalp or nails.[12]
Throat lozenge preparations are used for oropharyngeal candidiasis (oral thrush) or prevention of oral thrush in people withneutropenia.[13]
Clotrimazole may be compounded with aglucocorticoid, such asbetamethasone, in a topical cream for the treatment oftinea corporis (ringworm),tinea cruris (jock itch), and tinea pedis (athlete's foot). Although temporary relief and partial suppression of symptoms may be observed with the combination therapy, glucocorticoids can elicit an immunosuppressive response and rebound effect that results in more severe infection typically requiring systemic antifungal agents to treat the disease. Combination creams are best avoided to improve treatment outcomes, reduce the possibility of skin atrophy associated with prolonged topical glucocorticoid use, and limit the cost of treatment. It can be effective in treating chronicparonychia. The preferred treatment of tinea infections is therefore clotrimazole monotherapy.[14]
Topical clotrimazole cream, when combined with mechanical reduction of the nail, has been demonstrated to be effective in the treatment ofonychomycosis - a fungal infection of the fingernails and toenails.[15]
Additionally, clotrimazole may be used to treat the sickling of cells (related tosickle cell anemia).[16][17]
Small amounts of clotrimazole may be absorbed systemically following topical and vaginal administration. However, topical clotrimazole is still considered safe to use to treatyeast infections in pregnant women and is a safer alternative to other antifungals.[18][19]
Side effects of the oral formulation include itching, nausea, and vomiting. Less than 10% of patients using the oral formulation may have abnormalliver function tests. Side effects include rash, hives, blisters, burning, itching, peeling, redness, swelling, pain, or other signs of skin irritation.[5] For this reason, liver function tests should be monitored periodically when taking oral clotrimazole (troche). 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.[20][10]
Clotrimazole creams and suppositories contain oil which may weaken latexcondoms anddiaphragms.[19]
Clotrimazole is available as ageneric medication,[5] 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.[22]
^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.
^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.PMID28449377.S2CID544751.
