HOME | PRODUCTS | OSTEOPOROSIS | Otosclerosis| BIOTINIDASE DEFICIENCY | RESEARCH | CONTACT US | PRIVACY POLICY

Treatment of toenail onychomycosis with 2% butenafine and 5% Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil in cream

• T. A. Syed¹ 1 Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Francisco, USA ,
• Z. A. Qureshi² 2 University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan ,
• S. M. Ali³ 3 Shan Hospital, Gulshan Iqbal, Karachi, Pakistan ,
• S Ahmad⁴ 4 Komvux College, Borås, Sweden and
• S. A. Ahmad⁵ 5 Windsor High School, Windsor, CA, USA

• 1 Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Francisco, USA
• 2 University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
• 3 Shan Hospital, Gulshan Iqbal, Karachi, Pakistan
• 4 Komvux College, Borås, Sweden
• 5 Windsor High School, Windsor, CA, USA

To cite this article: T. A. Syed, Z. A. Qureshi, S. M. Ali, S Ahmad, S. A. Ahmad (1999)
Treatment of toenail onychomycosis with 2% butenafine and 5% Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil in cream
Tropical Medicine & International Health 4 (4), 284–287.
doi:10.1046/j.1365-3156.1999.00396.x

The prevalence of onychomycosis, a superficial fungal infection that destroys the entire nail unit, is rising, with no satisfactory cure. The objective of this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was to examine the clinical efficacy and tolerability of 2% butenafine hydrochloride and 5%Melaleuca alternifolia oil incorporated in a cream to manage toenail onychomycosis in a cohort. Sixty outpatients (39 m, 21 f) aged 18–80 years (mean 29.6) with 6–36 months duration of disease were randomized to two groups (40 and 20), active and placebo. After 16 weeks, 80% of patients using medicated cream were cured, as opposed to none in the placebo group. Four patients in the active treatment group experienced subjective mild inflammation without discontinuing treatment. During follow-up, no relapse occurred in cured patients and no improvement was seen in medication-resistant and placebo participants.

Read More

This article is cited by:

• Justin J. Finch & Erin M. Warshaw. (2007) Toenail onychomycosis: current and future treatment options. Dermatologic Therapy 20:1, 31–46
  Abstract Abstract and References Full Text Article Full Article PDF
• Parker Magin, Jon Adams. (2007) Complementary and alternative medicines: use in skin diseases. Expert Review of Dermatology 2:1, 41
  CrossRef
• Jeffrey D. Lauten, Linda Boyd, M. Blair Hanson, Dana Lillie, Christina Gullion, Theresa E. Madden. (2005) A clinical study: melaleuca, manuka, calendula and green tea mouth rinse. Phytotherapy Research 19:11, 951
  CrossRef
• Karen W. Martin and E. Ernst. (2004) Herbal medicines for treatment of fungal infections: a systematic review of controlled clinical trials. Phytomedizin zur Behandlung von Pilzinfektionen: Übersicht und Bewertung kontrollierter klinischer Studien. Mycoses 47:3-4, 87–92
  Abstract Abstract and References Full Text Article Full Article PDF
• Eran Ben-Arye, M. Frenkel, M. Ziv. (2004) An Approach to Teaching Dermatologists About Complementary Medicine. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 10:5, 899
  CrossRef
• B. Oliva, E. Piccirilli, T. Ceddia, E. Pontieri, P. Aureli and A.M. Ferrini. (2003) Antimycotic activity of Melaleuca alternifolia essential oil and its major components. Letters in Applied Microbiology 37:2, 185–187
  Abstract Abstract and References Full Text Article Full Article PDF
• Philip Fleckman. (2002) Onychomycosis: diagnosis and topical therapy. Dermatologic Therapy 15:2, 71–77
  Abstract Abstract and References Full Text Article Full Article PDF
• Edzard Ernst, Max H. Pittler, Clare Stevinson. (2002) Complementary/Alternative Medicine in Dermatology. American Journal of Clinical Dermatology 3:5, 341
  CrossRef
• Dani??le Debruyne, Antoine Coquerel. (2001) Pharmacokinetics of Antifungal Agents in Onychomycoses. Clinical Pharmacokinetics 40:6, 441
  CrossRef
• D. P. Bruynzeel. (1999) Letter to the Editors. Tropical Medicine & International Health 4:9, 630–630
  Summary Abstract and References Full Text Article Full Article PDF