Ciclopirox olamine 1% cream. A preliminary review of its antimicrobial activity and therapeutic use.

Ciclopirox olamine is a substituted pyridone antimycotic, unrelated to the imidazole derivatives, with activity against a broad spectrum of dermatophytes, yeasts, actinomycetes, molds, other fungi, and a variety of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The efficacy of ciclopirox olamine cream has been demonstrated in open and placebo-controlled studies in patients with superficial dermatophyte or yeast infections, and in double-blind comparative trials in patients with dermatomycoses, topical ciclopirox olamine was comparable to or better than clotrimazole in efficacy and caused a similar number of side effects. Ciclopirox olamine penetrates through fingernails and in preliminary studies has been successfully used in onychomycoses. However, further studies are needed to establish the role of ciclopirox in the treatment of onychomycoses and dermatomycoses relative to that of the more recently introduced antigungal agents.