Luliconazole Cream: Uses, How to Apply, Side Effects and Brands (2026)

• Updated 23 October 2026
• Reviewed by Sudhanshu Singhal
• 13 min read
• 16 sources

All prices are MRP as shown by the e-pharmacy Tata 1mg, read 23 October 2026, inclusive of taxes. Tata 1mg states that MRP may vary by batch; the MRP printed on the pack governs.

What is luliconazole 1% cream and lotion?

Luliconazole is a skin antifungal medicine that belongs to the azole family, applied on the surface of the skin to treat certain fungal infections.

The US FDA-approved prescribing information for luliconazole cream 1% (LUZU) states that although the exact mechanism is not fully known, luliconazole "appears to inhibit ergosterol synthesis by inhibiting the enzyme lanosterol demethylase." The result is less ergosterol, a part of the fungal cell membrane, and a build-up of lanosterol. The same label adds: "To date, a mechanism of resistance to luliconazole has not been described." The organisms named on the label are Trichophyton rubrum and Epidermophyton floccosum.

In India, luliconazole is sold as a 1% w/w cream and a 1% w/v lotion. The IADVL INTACT consensus paper (2020) lists "luliconazole 1% cream, lotion, spray" among topical imidazoles available in India. The same consensus notes that lotions may suit hair-bearing areas.

Each gram of the US cream contains 10 mg of luliconazole in a white cream base. The label says the cream "has low systemic absorption"; luliconazole is more than 99% protein-bound. After once-daily use for 15 days in adults, the mean maximum blood level was 0.93 ng/mL in the tinea pedis group and 7.36 ng/mL in the tinea cruris group.

What is luliconazole cream used for?

Luliconazole cream 1% is indicated for the topical treatment of interdigital tinea pedis (athlete's foot between the toes), tinea cruris (jock itch) and tinea corporis (ringworm of the body) caused by Trichophyton rubrum and Epidermophyton floccosum, as stated on the US FDA-approved LUZU label.

In plain words, the patient information leaflet describes luliconazole cream 1% as a prescription medicine used on the skin to treat "athlete's foot that is between the toes, jock itch, and ringworm." MedlinePlus (US National Library of Medicine) gives the same three conditions.

The US label covers tinea pedis and tinea cruris in patients aged 12 to under 18 years and tinea corporis in patients aged 2 to under 18 years, plus adults. It does not list use for scalp infections, nail infections or other fungal conditions. The Japanese label (PMDA, revised July 2024) additionally covers candidiasis and tinea versicolor, but those uses apply to the Japan product only.

Prescription medicines must be taken only as prescribed by a doctor. Never start or stop luliconazole cream on your own.

How to apply as stated in the labels

The US FDA-approved label for luliconazole cream 1% gives a once-daily regimen that varies by condition and covers specific age groups; always follow your doctor's advice and the pack in your hand.

The US LUZU label

• For topical use only; not for ophthalmic (eye), oral or intravaginal use.
• Interdigital tinea pedis: a thin layer on the affected area and about 1 inch of the immediate surrounding area, once daily for 2 weeks.
• Tinea cruris or tinea corporis: the affected area and about 1 inch of the immediate surrounding area, once daily for 1 week.
• Wash your hands after application.

The US label covers patients aged 12 to under 18 years for tinea pedis and tinea cruris, and 2 to under 18 years for tinea corporis, plus adults. MedlinePlus gives similar instructions — cover the affected area and about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of skin around it, once a day. It advises continuing use even if you feel well, because stopping early may leave the infection not fully treated.

Indian brand text (Tata 1mg, secondary source)

Brand pages for luliconazole cream and lotion on Tata 1mg give the same durations: athlete's foot between the toes once daily for 2 weeks; jock itch or ringworm once daily for 1 week. These pages also say skin infections "will usually get better after 2 to 4 weeks of use," and the lotion page advises: "Inform your doctor if the infection has not cleared up after four weeks of treatment."

Indian expert consensus (general guidance, not a luliconazole label)

The IADVL INTACT consensus (2020) notes that most topical antifungals need twice-daily application but "luliconazole and terbinafine may be applied once daily." The ECTODERM Indian expert consensus (2018) recommends continuing topical agents for 2 weeks after clinical cure and lists "topical luliconazole/sertaconazole once/twice a day, for 6 weeks" for a specific syndrome. The pack in your hand and your doctor's instructions govern.

The label regimen described above applies to the age groups specified on the label. Never change the dose or duration on your own; follow what your doctor prescribes.

Side effects

Side effects reported with luliconazole cream are mostly mild reactions at the site of application. Post-approval voluntary reports include contact dermatitis and cellulitis, but their frequency cannot be estimated.

Common reactions

• The US LUZU label reports that in three Phase 3 trials with 616 subjects, the most common reactions were application-site reactions, seen in "less than 1% of subjects" in both the luliconazole and vehicle (plain cream) groups. Most were mild.
• MedlinePlus lists "irritation, itching, or stinging in the place where you applied the medication."
• The Japan label (PMDA, cream) lists itching, redness, stinging, contact dermatitis, pain, eczema, flushing, warmth and burning among its side effects.
• In a paediatric trial (age 2 to under 18, tinea corporis, 75 subjects), reactions in the luliconazole group "were similar to the vehicle treated population."

What to tell your doctor

• The US label lists contact dermatitis and cellulitis as post-approval voluntary reports; their frequency cannot be estimated from voluntary reports.
• The US patient information advises telling your doctor about any skin reactions at the treatment site.

Prescription medicines must be taken only as prescribed by a doctor. Report any new or worsening symptom to your doctor promptly.

Who should not use it, and interactions

The US LUZU label lists no contraindications (section 4: "None"), but certain precautions apply as stated on the labels and by health authorities.

Precautions

• Do not get the cream near or in your eyes, mouth or vagina; it is not for ophthalmic, oral or intravaginal use (LUZU label). MedlinePlus adds: do not let it get into your eyes, nose or mouth and do not swallow it.
• The Japan label (PMDA) lists hypersensitivity to any component as a contraindication and advises against applying to markedly eroded skin.
• Storage: 20 to 25 °C for the US tube; keep out of the reach of children.
• The Indian INTACT consensus states that topical corticosteroids "should never be used for tinea corporis, tinea cruris or tinea faciei." Consult your doctor before combining any skin treatments.

Interactions

The LUZU label notes that luliconazole is "mostly a weak inhibitor of CYP2C19." With about 4 g of cream daily, omeprazole exposure rose by about 30%. In some adolescents with tinea cruris, blood levels "approach or exceed" those of a moderate CYP2C19 inhibitor. At therapeutic doses it is not expected to prolong QTc. Tell your doctor about all medicines you are using.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

• Pregnancy (US label): there are no available data on use in pregnant women. Animal injection studies showed no adverse developmental effects in rabbits at up to 24 times the maximum human dose. In rats, a skeletal variation (14th rib) was seen at 25 mg/kg/day (about 3 times the human dose), and a pre/postnatal study found embryofetal toxicity at 25 mg/kg/day in the presence of maternal toxicity. The patient leaflet says: "It is not known if LUZU Cream will harm your unborn baby." The Japan label advises using it in pregnancy only when the expected benefit clearly outweighs the risk.
• Breastfeeding (US label): there is no information on the presence of luliconazole in human milk. The label notes "low systemic absorption" and advises weighing breastfeeding benefits against the mother's clinical need. The Indian INTACT consensus states that "all topical antifungals can be used safely during lactation as their secretion in milk is negligible."
• No source reviewed addresses alcohol use with topical luliconazole; none is stated here.

Rules in India

Schedule status

In the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 ("as amended up to 30 September 2020"), a full-text search found no entry for luliconazole in Schedule H, which lists 536 prescription drugs. Other topical antifungals — clotrimazole, ketoconazole, miconazole and others — are named there. Every luliconazole brand page reviewed on Tata 1mg shows "Prescription required", and it should be used only on a doctor's prescription.

NLEM 2022 and price control

The National List of Essential Medicines 2022 (Gazette of India, 11 November 2022) does not name luliconazole. Clotrimazole cream 1%, clotrimazole lotion 1% and terbinafine cream 1% are listed. No NPPA ceiling price for luliconazole was found in the documents reviewed. As the molecule is not in NLEM 2022, no NLEM ceiling price applies; the MRP printed on the pack governs.

India context

The IADVL ITART INTACT consensus (2020) notes "an unprecedented increase in the number of patients affected by recurrent, chronic, recalcitrant and steroid-modified dermatophytosis" in India over recent years, and "a notable decrease in clinical responsiveness to commonly used antifungals." The same consensus states: "Dermatophytosis is now the commonest dermatologic condition seen among outpatients in India." These points underline the importance of using antifungals exactly as prescribed, without mixing in steroid creams.

Top brands in India

Luliconazole cream and lotion are sold in India by several well-known pharmaceutical companies. The at-a-glance table above lists brands from large marketers with pages on Tata 1mg, with their common pack sizes and MRPs. No sales ranking is implied; the MRPs are as read on 23 October 2026 and change by batch and over time.

The Vibcare range

Vibcare Pharma offers three luliconazole products in the Grace division: Lulivib cream 1% w/w (10 gm, ₹145), Lulivib 30 cream 1% w/w (30 gm, ₹305) and Lulivib Lotion 1% w/v (30 ml, ₹225). The listed compositions are luliconazole 1% w/w (cream) and luliconazole 1% w/v (lotion).

The full range is available to Vibcare PCD franchise partners with monopoly rights in their district; see our Derma PCD franchise and PCD pharma franchise pages.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

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