Clotrimazole 500mg pessary and Clotrimazole 2% cream
Requires a prescription from a doctor or prescriber
This drug is a broad spectrum antimycotic or antifungal agent.
Safety information for pregnancy and breastfeeding
Pregnancy
There are limited data regarding the use of clotrimazole in pregnant women.
Breastfeeding
Available pharmacodynamic/toxicological studies in animals have shown excretion of clotrimazole/metabolites in breastmilk.
Always consult your doctor or midwife before taking any medicine during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Source: DrugBank (CC BY-NC 4.0).
Official documents, adverse reaction reporting, and safety monitoring
Report a side effect
Submit a Yellow Card report to the MHRA
Official medicine documents
Safety monitoring data
Yellow Card reports
The MHRA Yellow Card scheme collects reports of suspected side effects from healthcare professionals and patients. View the Drug Analysis Profile (iDAP) for real-world adverse reaction data.
View Drug Analysis Profile
Suspected adverse reactions reported for Clotrimazole
Browse all iDAP reports
Interactive Drug Analysis Profiles for all medicines
Report a side effect
Submit a Yellow Card report to the MHRA
Data from the MHRA Yellow Card scheme. A reported reaction does not necessarily mean the medicine caused it. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
EudraVigilance
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) collects suspected adverse reaction reports from across the EU/EEA through the EudraVigilance system. Search for safety data on this medicine.
View EudraVigilance report
Suspected adverse reactions reported for Clotrimazole
About EudraVigilance
Learn about EU pharmacovigilance and safety monitoring
EudraVigilance data is published by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). A suspected adverse reaction is not necessarily caused by the medicine.
6 branded products available
Part of the Canesten brand family (generic: Clotrimazole)
MHRA licensed products
View all licensed products for Clotrimazole on the MHRA register
Canesten Combi 500mg pessary and External 2% cream
Canesten Combi 500mg Soft Gel pessary and External 2% cream
Canesten Thrush Combi 500mg pessary & External 2% cream
Canesten Thrush Combi 500mg Soft Gel pessary and External 2% cream
This is the NHS Drug Tariff indicative price used for reimbursement purposes. It may not reflect the price paid by patients or pharmacies.
View full Drug TariffSource: NHS Drug Tariff via NHSBSA. Derived from dm+d VMPP (Virtual Medicinal Product Pack) pricing data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Therapeutically similar medicines
Similarity based on WHO Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification and NHS BNF section grouping. Source data: NHS dm+d via TRUD (OGL v3.0), WHO ATC/DDD Index.
NHS prescribing volume and spending trends
Clinical guidelines and formulary information
British National Formulary
Clotrimazole
Source: British National Formulary, NICE. Joint Formulary Committee. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
NICE clinical guidance(1)
Source: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Check stock at pharmacies and supply information
Pharmacy stock checkers
Search for this medicine at major UK pharmacy chains. These links open the retailer's own website — results depend on their current online catalogue.
Supply & product information
Official product databases and supply status monitoring
Pharmacy links redirect to the retailer's own search and do not represent real-time stock levels. emc (electronic medicines compendium) is operated by Datapharm Ltd. Shortage information sourced from NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service (SPS), sps.nhs.uk.
Codes for healthcare professionals and prescribing systems
These codes are used by healthcare IT systems and prescribers to identify this medicine.
NHS UK identifiers
Browse tools
SNOMED CT and dm+d codes from NHS TRUD (Technology Reference data Update Distribution), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. BNF codes from NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). ATC codes from the WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology (whocc.no).
Active and completed clinical studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health (NIH). Data accessed via ClinicalTrials.gov API v2. Trial information is provided for research purposes and does not constitute medical advice.
Pharmacology and chemical data from DrugBank
Key facts
Drug status
Approved
Major interactions
None known
Half-life
Not available
Mechanism
Clotrimazole acts primarily by damaging the permeability barrier in the cell membrane of fungi.
Food interactions
None known
Human targets
4 targets
Data: DrugBank · CC BY-NC 4.0
Pharmacokinetics at a glance
Absorption
[A174094]
Protein binding
98%
Volume of distribution
Metabolism
[L5173]
Elimination
[L5173]
Pharmacokinetic data: DrugBank · CC BY-NC 4.0
Clotrimazole topical cream is indicated for the topical treatment of the following dermal infections F3088, F3121:
Tinea pedis, tinea cruris, and tinea corporis due to Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Epidermophyton floccosum
Candidiasis due to Candida albicans
Tinea versicolor due to Malassezia furfur
Diaper rash infected by Candida albicans
In some preparations, clotrimazole may be combined with betamethasone dipropionate, a corticosteroid F3121.
Oral preparations
The oral troche preparation is indicated for the local treatment of oropharyngeal candidiasis [FDA label]. It is also indicated as a prophylactic drug to reduce the incidence of oropharyngeal candidiasis in patients immunocompromised by conditions such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or steroid therapy utilized in the treatment of leukemia, solid tumors, or renal transplantation [FDA label]. Troche preparations are not indicated for the treatment of any systemic mycoses [FDA label].
Known interactions with other medications. Always consult a healthcare professional.
Showing 23 of 23 interactions
Oral LD50 (rat): 708 mg/kg; Intraperitoneal LD50 (rat): 445 mg/kg; Subcutaneous LDLO (rat): 10 g/kg; Oral LD50 (mouse): 761 mg/kg; Subcutaneous LDLO (mouse): 10 g/kg; Intraperitoneal LD50 (mouse): 108 mg/kg;F3124
Overdose
This drug poses no risk of acute intoxication, as it is unlikely to occur following a single vaginal or dermal application of an overdose (application over a large area under conditions favorable to absorption) or accidental oral ingestion. There is no specific antidote F3100.
Effects on Fertility
No human studies of the effects of clotrimazole on fertility have been conducted; however, animal studies have not shown any effects on the drug on fertility F3088.
Use in Pregnancy
There are limited data regarding the use of clotrimazole in pregnant women.
Animal studies do not show direct or indirect harmful effects on reproduction. Although the topical application of clotrimazole may result in very low serum and tissue levels, the use of clotrimazole topical cream by pregnant women is not recommended unless it is advised by the prescribing physician. Clotrimazole topical cream should not be used in the first trimester of pregnancy unless it is considered by the physician to be essential to patient well-being F3088.
Use in Breastfeeding
Available pharmacodynamic/toxicological studies in animals have shown excretion of clotrimazole/metabolites in breastmilk.
Clotrimazole should not be administered during breastfeeding. Although the topical application of clotrimazole has resulted in very low serum and tissue levels, the use of clotrimazole topical cream by lactating women is not recommended unless it recommended by the prescribing physician F3088.
Though decreased ergosterol, due to the inhibition of lanosterol 14-demethylase (also known as CYP51) [A174094] is accepted to be primarily responsible for the antimycotic properties of clotrimazole, this drug also shows other pharmacological effects. These include the inhibition of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+‐ATPase, depletion of intracellular calcium, and blocking of calcium‐dependent potassium channels and voltage‐dependent calcium channels [A174094]. The action of clotrimazole on these targets accounts for other effects of this drug that are separate from its antimycotic activities [A174094].
Clotrimazole is generally considered to be a fungistatic, and not a fungicidal drug, although this contrast is not absolute, as clotrimazole shows fungicidal properties at higher concentrations [A174094].
How the body processes this drug — absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination
[A174094]
[L5173]
[L5173]
Proteins and enzymes this drug interacts with in the body
PMID:10026195 PMID:10961988 PMID:11425865 PMID:15831468 PMID:17157250 PMID:18796614 PMID:26148990 PMID:9326665 PMID:9380751 PMID:9407042
The current is characterized by a voltage-independent activation, an intracellular calcium concentration increase-dependent activation and a single-channel conductance of about 25 picosiemens .
PMID:9326665 PMID:9380751 PMID:9407042
Also presents an inwardly rectifying current, thus reducing its already small outward conductance of potassium ions, which is particularly the case when the membrane potential displays positive values, above + 20 mV .
PMID:9326665 PMID:9380751 PMID:9407042
Controls calcium influx during vascular contractility by being responsible of membrane hyperpolarization induced by vasoactive factors in proliferative vascular smooth muscle cell types (By similarity). Following calcium influx, the consecutive activation of KCNN4 channel leads to a hyperpolarization of the cell membrane potential and hence an increase of the electrical driving force for further calcium influx promoting sustained calcium entry in response to stimulation with chemotactic peptides .
PMID:26418693
Required for maximal calcium influx and proliferation during the reactivation of naive T-cells .
PMID:17157250 PMID:18796614
Plays a role in the late stages of EGF-induced macropinocytosis through activation by PI(3)P PMID:24591580
PMID:1891716
Binding of IL-8 to the receptor causes activation of neutrophils. This response is mediated via a G-protein that activates a phosphatidylinositol-calcium second messenger system .
PMID:8662698
Binds to IL-8 with high affinity. Also binds with high affinity to CXCL3, GRO/MGSA and NAP-2
Response to specific ligands is species-specific. Activated by naturally occurring steroids, such as pregnenolone and progesterone. Binds to a response element in the promoters of the CYP3A4 and ABCB1/MDR1 genes
Receptor activation by nicotinic acid results in reduced cAMP levels which may affect activity of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A and phosphorylation of target proteins, leading to neutrophil apoptosis. The rank order of potency for the displacement of nicotinic acid binding is 5-methyl pyrazole-3-carboxylic acid = pyridine-3-acetic acid > acifran > 5-methyl nicotinic acid = acipimox >> nicotinuric acid = nicotinamide
Enzymes involved in drug metabolism — important for understanding drug interactions
Proteins that transport this drug across cell membranes
PMID:2897240 PMID:35970996 PMID:8898203 PMID:9038218 PMID:35507548
Catalyzes the flop of phospholipids from the cytoplasmic to the exoplasmic leaflet of the apical membrane. Participates mainly to the flop of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, beta-D-glucosylceramides and sphingomyelins .
PMID:8898203
Energy-dependent efflux pump responsible for decreased drug accumulation in multidrug-resistant cells PMID:2897240 PMID:35970996 PMID:9038218
PMID:15791618 PMID:16332456 PMID:18985798 PMID:19228692 PMID:20010382 PMID:20398791 PMID:22262466 PMID:24711118 PMID:29507376 PMID:32203132
Transports taurine-conjugated bile salts more rapidly than glycine-conjugated bile salts .
PMID:16332456
Also transports non-bile acid compounds, such as pravastatin and fexofenadine in an ATP-dependent manner and may be involved in their biliary excretion PMID:15901796 PMID:18245269
PMID:10358072 PMID:15159445 PMID:17412826
Shows broad substrate specificity, can transport both organic anions such as bile acid taurocholate (cholyltaurine) and conjugated steroids (dehydroepiandrosterone 3-sulfate, 17-beta-glucuronosyl estradiol, and estrone 3-sulfate), as well as eicosanoids (prostaglandin E2, thromboxane B2, leukotriene C4, and leukotriene E4), and thyroid hormones (T4/L-thyroxine, and T3/3,3',5'-triiodo-L-thyronine) .
PMID:10358072 PMID:10601278 PMID:10873595 PMID:11159893 PMID:12196548 PMID:12568656 PMID:15159445 PMID:15970799 PMID:16627748 PMID:17412826 PMID:19129463 PMID:26979622
Can take up bilirubin glucuronides from plasma into the liver, contributing to the detoxification-enhancing liver-blood shuttling loop .
PMID:22232210
Involved in the clearance of endogenous and exogenous substrates from the liver .
PMID:10358072 PMID:10601278
Transports coproporphyrin I and III, by-products of heme synthesis, and may be involved in their hepatic disposition .
PMID:26383540
May contribute to regulate the transport of organic compounds in testes across the blood-testis-barrier (Probable). Can transport HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (also known as statins), such as pravastatin and pitavastatin, a clinically important class of hypolipidemic drugs .
PMID:10601278 PMID:15159445 PMID:15970799
May play an important role in plasma and tissue distribution of the structurally diverse chemotherapeutic drug methotrexate .
PMID:23243220
May also transport antihypertension agents, such as the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor prodrug enalapril, and the highly selective angiotensin II AT1-receptor antagonist valsartan, in the liver .
PMID:16624871 PMID:16627748
Shows a pH-sensitive substrate specificity towards prostaglandin E2 and T4 which may be ascribed to the protonation state of the binding site and leads to a stimulation of substrate transport in an acidic microenvironment .
PMID:19129463
Hydrogencarbonate/HCO3(-) acts as the probable counteranion that exchanges for organic anions PMID:19129463
PMID:10779507 PMID:15159445 PMID:17412826
Shows broad substrate specificity, can transport both organic anions such as bile acid taurocholate (cholyltaurine) and conjugated steroids (17-beta-glucuronosyl estradiol, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), and estrone 3-sulfate), as well as eicosanoid leukotriene C4, prostaglandin E2 and L-thyroxine (T4) .
PMID:10779507 PMID:11159893 PMID:12568656 PMID:15159445 PMID:17412826 PMID:19129463
Hydrogencarbonate/HCO3(-) acts as the probable counteranion that exchanges for organic anions .
PMID:19129463
Shows a pH-sensitive substrate specificity towards sulfated steroids, taurocholate and T4 which may be ascribed to the protonation state of the binding site and leads to a stimulation of substrate transport in an acidic microenvironment .
PMID:19129463
Involved in the clearance of bile acids and organic anions from the liver .
PMID:22232210
Can take up bilirubin glucuronides from plasma into the liver, contributing to the detoxification-enhancing liver-blood shuttling loop .
PMID:22232210
Transports coproporphyrin I and III, by-products of heme synthesis, and may be involved in their hepatic disposition .
PMID:26383540
May contribute to regulate the transport of organic compounds in testes across the blood-testis-barrier (Probable). Can transport HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (also known as statins) such as pitavastatin, a clinically important class of hypolipidemic drugs .
PMID:15159445
May play an important role in plasma and tissue distribution of the structurally diverse chemotherapeutic drugs methotrexate and paclitaxel .
PMID:23243220
May also transport antihypertension agents, such as the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor prodrug enalapril, and the highly selective angiotensin II AT1-receptor antagonist valsartan, in the liver PMID:16624871 PMID:16627748
ATC D01AC01
ATC A01AB18
ATC G01AF02
ATC G01AF20
Chemical identifiers
CAS, UNII, InChI Key and database cross-references
Show
Chemical identifiers
CAS, UNII, InChI Key and database cross-references
Linked compound data from DrugBank Open Data (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Clotrimazole
Additional database identifiers
Drugs Product Database (DPD)
2375
ChemSpider
2710
BindingDB
31774
PDB
CL6
Guide to Pharmacology
2330
ZINC
ZINC000003807804
GenBank Gene Database
X13296
GenBank Protein Database
578119
UniProt Accession
CP51_CANAL
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:6293
GenAtlas
KCNN4
GeneCards
KCNN4
GenBank Gene Database
AF000972
GenBank Protein Database
2584866
Guide to Pharmacology
384
UniProt Accession
KCNN4_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:6027
GeneCards
CXCR2
Guide to Pharmacology
69
UniProt Accession
CXCR2_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:7968
GenAtlas
NR1I2
GeneCards
NR1I2
GenBank Gene Database
AF061056
GenBank Protein Database
3511138
Guide to Pharmacology
606
UniProt Accession
NR1I2_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:24827
GenAtlas
GPR109A
GeneCards
HCAR2
GenBank Gene Database
AY148884
GenBank Protein Database
28975188
Guide to Pharmacology
312
UniProt Accession
HCAR2_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:2622
GenAtlas
CYP2C8
GeneCards
CYP2C8
GenBank Gene Database
M17397
Guide to Pharmacology
1325
UniProt Accession
CP2C8_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:2637
GenAtlas
CYP3A4
GeneCards
CYP3A4
GenBank Gene Database
M18907
Guide to Pharmacology
1337
UniProt Accession
CP3A4_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:2615
GeneCards
CYP2B6
GenBank Gene Database
M29874
GenBank Protein Database
181296
Guide to Pharmacology
1324
UniProt Accession
CP2B6_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:2625
GenAtlas
CYP2D6
GeneCards
CYP2D6
GenBank Gene Database
M20403
GenBank Protein Database
181350
Guide to Pharmacology
1329
UniProt Accession
CP2D6_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:2610
GenAtlas
CYP2A6
GeneCards
CYP2A6
GenBank Gene Database
X13897
Guide to Pharmacology
1321
UniProt Accession
CP2A6_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:2623
GenAtlas
CYP2C9
GeneCards
CYP2C9
GenBank Gene Database
AY341248
Guide to Pharmacology
1326
UniProt Accession
CP2C9_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:2631
GeneCards
CYP2E1
GenBank Gene Database
J02625
GenBank Protein Database
181360
Guide to Pharmacology
1330
UniProt Accession
CP2E1_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:2640
GeneCards
CYP3A7
GenBank Gene Database
D00408
GenBank Protein Database
220149
UniProt Accession
CP3A7_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:40
GenAtlas
ABCB1
GeneCards
ABCB1
GenBank Gene Database
M14758
GenBank Protein Database
307180
Guide to Pharmacology
768
UniProt Accession
MDR1_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:42
GenAtlas
ABCB11
GeneCards
ABCB11
GenBank Gene Database
AF091582
GenBank Protein Database
3873243
Guide to Pharmacology
778
UniProt Accession
ABCBB_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:10959
GenAtlas
SLCO1B1
GeneCards
SLCO1B1
GenBank Gene Database
AF060500
GenBank Protein Database
5051630
Guide to Pharmacology
1220
UniProt Accession
SO1B1_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:10961
GeneCards
SLCO1B3
GenBank Gene Database
AJ251506
GenBank Protein Database
9187497
Guide to Pharmacology
1221
UniProt Accession
SO1B3_HUMAN
International reference pricing
Reference pricing from DrugBank. Prices are indicative and may not reflect current UK costs.
Source: DrugBank. Used under CC BY-NC 4.0 academic licence for non-commercial purposes.
Patent information
1 active patent
Source: DrugBank · CC BY-NC 4.0. Patent data sourced from national patent offices. Expiry dates may not reflect extensions, regulatory exclusivity periods, or legal challenges.
DrugBank citations
If you use DrugBank data in your research, please cite the following publications: