Management of onychomycosis with oral terbinafine

The safety and efficacy of oral terbinafine in the treatment of finger onychomycosis caused by Trichophyton rubrum were evaluated in an open study including 11 patients. Treatment consisted of 125 mg of terbinafine given twice daily for 6 months or until the infection cleared. At the end of the treatment period, all patients were clinically and mycologically normal, with the drug acting as a fungal barrier to prevent further distal fungal invasion into the nailplate. Mild gastric discomfort in one patient was the only side effect reported during this study. No laboratory abnormalities were detected.