Itraconazole: Uses, Dose, Side Effects and Top Brands in India (2026)

• Updated 9 October 2026
• Reviewed by Sudhanshu Singhal
• 17 min read
• 21 sources

Itraconazole brands in India at a glance

Every MRP above is the printed pack MRP listed on the PharmEasy itraconazole molecule page, read on 9 October 2026 (the Itralase figure is also shown on 1mg), and MRPs change from time to time and can vary by batch. These are retailer listings and not a sales ranking.

What is itraconazole?

Itraconazole is a triazole-class antifungal that works by blocking the cytochrome P450-dependent synthesis of ergosterol, a vital part of the fungal cell membrane. Laboratory activity is listed against Blastomyces dermatitidis, Histoplasma capsulatum, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus and Trichophyton species.

Forms and strengths listed for India

• Conventional capsules of 100 mg and 200 mg and an oral liquid of 10 mg/mL, as listed in NLEM 2022. The 100 mg capsule has itraconazole coated on sugar spheres (pellets) inside a hard gelatin capsule; the EU-format generic 100 mg capsule holds spherical micro-granules and 244 mg sucrose per capsule.
• Supra-bioavailable (SUBA or "SB") capsules of 50 mg, 65 mg, 100 mg and 130 mg, named in CDSCO Subject Expert Committee minutes and NPPA price notices. These committee minutes record recommendations; final CDSCO licence letters were not seen in the sources used here. The 65 mg SUBA capsule disperses itraconazole in a polymer matrix (hypromellose phthalate) instead of pellets.
• Topical forms from Vibcare: Fungivice 1% Dusting Powder and Fungivice 2% Dusting Powder.

What the combination partner adds

Fungivice Plus Cream combines itraconazole 1% W/W with ofloxacin 0.75% W/W, ornidazole 2% W/W, clobetasol 0.05% W/W and the preservatives methylparaben 0.2% W/W and propylparaben 0.2% W/W. Clobetasol is a topical corticosteroid, and the Indian expert guidance in ITART and ECTODERM strongly discourages topical corticosteroids in tinea management. No official label for topical itraconazole combination creams was found in the sources read for this page.

How the body handles it

Peak plasma levels come 2 to 5 hours after a dose, and absolute oral bioavailability of the conventional capsule is about 55%, highest when it is taken right after a full meal. About 99.8% of itraconazole in plasma is protein-bound, and skin levels run up to four times plasma levels.

The half-life is 16 to 28 hours after a single dose and 34 to 42 hours with repeated dosing, with steady state in about 15 days. The drug leaves the body slowly: skin concentration persists 2 to 4 weeks after a 4-week course and nail keratin holds it for at least 6 months after a 3-month course. It is metabolised by the liver, mainly through CYP3A4, and the main metabolite, hydroxy-itraconazole, is also antifungal.

What is it used for?

Itraconazole is used for the infections named in the approved labels and Indian professional guidelines cited below; the indications differ between the US label, the EU-format SmPC and Indian expert guidance.

• US label, conventional capsules: blastomycosis (pulmonary and extrapulmonary), histoplasmosis including chronic cavitary pulmonary and disseminated non-meningeal disease, and aspergillosis in patients intolerant of or refractory to amphotericin B.
• US label, conventional capsules, non-immunocompromised patients only: onychomycosis of the toenail (with or without fingernail involvement) and of the fingernail, due to dermatophytes. The label says nail specimens (KOH preparation, fungal culture or biopsy) should confirm onychomycosis before treatment starts.
• US label, 65 mg SUBA capsule (Tolsura): blastomycosis, histoplasmosis and aspergillosis only; it is not indicated for nail infections (onychomycosis) and is not interchangeable with other itraconazole capsules.
• US label: only the oral solution, not the capsules, has been shown effective for oral and/or oesophageal candidiasis.
• EU-format SmPC for 100 mg capsules: vulvovaginal candidiasis, oral candidiasis, pityriasis versicolor, dermatomycoses and onychomycoses caused by dermatophytes and yeasts, where systemic treatment is considered necessary and the infection is verified by direct microscopy and/or culture.
• India, ITART (IADVL, 2020): itraconazole and terbinafine are described as first-line systemic options for glabrous tinea (tinea corporis, cruris, faciei), and the paper notes that itraconazole was the most commonly prescribed oral antifungal for dermatophytosis in India as of 2020. The panel recommends combining a systemic and a topical antifungal and continuing the topical agent for 2 weeks beyond clinical resolution.
• India, Nail Society of India (2023): terbinafine is first-line for dermatophyte onychomycosis with itraconazole as the alternative, and itraconazole pulse therapy is first-line for non-dermatophyte mould onychomycosis.

Dose as stated in the labels

The regimens below are quoted from the labels and guidelines for information only; your doctor decides your dose. Conventional capsules are swallowed whole and taken with a full meal or immediately after a meal, because absorption is best then.

Points to note on timing

• The ITART panel notes that 200 mg daily in adults is generally effective, and that a dose above 200 mg daily may lower clearance and eventually give toxic levels because itraconazole has non-linear pharmacokinetics.
• A randomised double-blind trial in Delhi (149 adults with tinea corporis or cruris) compared 100, 200 and 400 mg per day; 100 mg and 200 mg were not significantly different in cure rate, and 47.4% of patients relapsed after treatment with similar relapse across dose groups.
• The Irish leaflet says that if you are on acid-suppressing medicines you may take the capsule with a drink of non-diet cola, and you should wait two hours after taking the capsule before taking indigestion, ulcer or heartburn medicines.
• If a dose is missed, take it as soon as you remember; if it is nearly time for the next dose, skip the missed one and never double up.
• Indian professional guidance (ITART) says that in patients with cardiac illness terbinafine is preferred and itraconazole better avoided, and that liver function monitoring is mandatory where there is hepatic dysfunction.

Side effects

Common side effects listed in the labels are headache, nausea and other digestive problems, rash and oedema. In US trials in systemic fungal infections (602 patients), nausea was reported in 11%, rash 9%, vomiting 5%, oedema 4% and headache 4%; treatment was stopped for adverse events in 10.5% of patients.

Reactions by frequency

• Common (1 in 100 to under 1 in 10), EU-format SmPC: headache, abdominal pain and nausea.
• Uncommon (1 in 1,000 to under 1 in 100): diarrhoea, vomiting, constipation, dyspepsia, flatulence, abnormal liver function, urticaria, rash, pruritus, menstrual disorders, sinusitis, upper respiratory infection, rhinitis.
• Rare (1 in 10,000 to under 1 in 1,000): congestive heart failure, serious hepatotoxicity including some fatal acute liver failure, pancreatitis, hearing loss (transient or permanent), tinnitus, visual disturbances, tremor, paraesthesia, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, anaphylaxis, alopecia, photosensitivity and erectile dysfunction.

Serious reactions that need urgent medical help

• Signs of allergy: rash, hives, swelling of the face, lips or tongue.
• Severe skin peeling or blistering.
• Tingling, numbness or weakness in the limbs; treatment should be stopped if neuropathy occurs.
• Liver symptoms: unusual fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting, jaundice, dark urine, pale stools. Rare cases of serious liver toxicity, including liver failure and death, have been reported, some within the first week of treatment and some in people with no earlier liver disease.
• Heart failure symptoms: shortness of breath, swelling of the feet, ankles or legs, sudden weight gain, increased tiredness, coughing up white or pink mucus, fast heartbeat, waking at night more than usual. Itraconazole has a negative inotropic effect and has been associated with congestive heart failure.

Itraconazole can cause dizziness or blurred and double vision, so do not drive or use machines until you know how it affects you. A new or worsening high blood pressure with low potassium (pseudoaldosteronism) has also been reported.

Who should not take it, and interactions

Itraconazole must not be taken by people with ventricular dysfunction such as congestive heart failure or a history of it when it is being given for nail infection (US boxed warning), by anyone allergic to itraconazole, or by patients taking contraindicated medicines. For other indications, the US label says it should be used in patients with ventricular dysfunction only if the benefit clearly outweighs the risk; named risk factors for heart failure include ischaemic or valvular heart disease, significant lung disease such as COPD, renal failure and other oedematous disorders.

Key interactions

• Contraindicated co-medicines named in the labels include methadone, disopyramide, dofetilide, dronedarone, quinidine, isavuconazole, ergot alkaloids, irinotecan, lurasidone, oral midazolam, pimozide, triazolam, felodipine, nisoldipine, ivabradine, ranolazine, eplerenone, cisapride, naloxegol, lomitapide, lovastatin, simvastatin, avanafil, ticagrelor, finerenone and voclosporin. These must not be used during treatment and for 2 weeks after itraconazole is stopped.
• Medicines that lower itraconazole levels and are not recommended for 2 weeks before and during treatment: rifampicin, isoniazid, phenytoin, phenobarbital, efavirenz and nevirapine. Carbamazepine and rifabutin are also not recommended, and for these two the restriction extends to 2 weeks after treatment as well.
• Antacids and acid-suppressing medicines reduce absorption of the conventional capsule: the US label says to give acid-neutralising medicines at least 2 hours before or 2 hours after the capsule, and the EU-format SmPC says at least 1 hour before and at least 2 hours after, taking the capsule with an acidic drink such as non-diet cola if acid is reduced. With the 65 mg SUBA capsule, omeprazole 40 mg daily raised exposure, so monitoring and possible dose reduction are advised instead.
• Grapefruit or grapefruit juice: talk to your doctor about it while taking this medicine.

Alcohol

The US, EU and Irish product texts read for this page contain no alcohol-specific rule. India's drug regulator's expert committee asked that supra-bioavailable package inserts mention alcohol among the factors that may affect bioavailability; given the liver warnings, ask your prescriber about alcohol.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Itraconazole must not be used for onychomycosis in pregnant women or women planning pregnancy; the EU-format SmPC allows it in pregnancy only in life-threatening cases. Women of child-bearing potential treated for nail infection should use effective contraception, and the labels differ on how long to continue it afterwards (the US label says 2 months, the EU-format SmPC says until the menstrual period after therapy ends). Animal studies show embryotoxicity and malformations at high doses, and post-marketing congenital abnormalities have been reported with no causal link established. Itraconazole passes into human milk, and the benefit to the mother must be weighed against the risk to the infant.

Other cautions

• Liver disease: treatment is strongly discouraged where liver enzymes are raised or there is active liver disease, unless a serious or life-threatening infection makes the expected benefit greater than the risk.
• Kidney disease: limited data; caution and possible dose adjustment.
• Children: efficacy and safety are not established in paediatric patients; the Irish leaflet says the capsules are not for under-18s.
• Elderly: use only if the potential benefit outweighs the risk.

Rules in India

Itraconazole is on India's National List of Essential Medicines 2022 and its conventional capsules and oral liquid carry an NPPA ceiling price. NLEM 2022 (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare) lists itraconazole in Section 6.5.5, Antifungal medicines, for secondary and tertiary levels of healthcare, as capsule 100 mg, capsule 200 mg and oral liquid 10 mg/mL.

• NPPA ceiling prices effective 1 April 2023 (with WPI 12.1218%), exclusive of GST: ₹16.67 per 100 mg capsule, ₹22.12 per 200 mg capsule and ₹4.94 per mL of the 10 mg/mL oral liquid.
• Supra-bioavailable capsules are priced separately as new-drug retail prices: the 65 mg capsule at ₹11.60 per capsule under S.O. 5937(E) dated 19 December 2022 and S.O. 483(E) dated 2 February 2023, and NPPA's 112th Authority meeting on 1 May 2023 fixed ₹11.94 per 65 mg capsule and ₹20.72 per 130 mg capsule, exclusive of GST. Later annual WPI revisions may have changed these figures.
• Schedule status: the CDSCO copy of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules 1945 read for this page does not show itraconazole as a named Schedule H entry, and no separate confirmation was found, so no schedule is stated here. E-pharmacy listings show the capsules as "Prescription required", which is a retailer label rather than a regulatory citation.

About the brand listings in India

The table near the top of this page lists itraconazole brands with their marketers and printed pack MRPs as shown on the PharmEasy itraconazole molecule page, read on 9 October 2026. The order is the listing order of that page and is not a sales ranking, because no published sales-ranking source was found for this page.

The Vibcare range

Vibcare offers itraconazole as 100 mg and 200 mg capsules under the Candilam, Candilzo and Fungivice names in blister packs of different sizes, 1% and 2% dusting powders (Fungivice) and a combination cream (Fungivice Plus Cream). The full details of every pack and price are in the linked range table below.

The full range is available to Vibcare's PCD franchise partners across India.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

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