Efficacy of ajoene, an organosulphur derived from garlic, in the short-term therapy of tinea pedis

Mycoses. 1996 Sep-Oct;39(9-10):393-5. doi: 10.1111/j.1439-0507.1996.tb00160.x.

Abstract

The present report shows the efficacy of ajoene, a garlic-derived organic trisulphur, for short-term therapy of tinea pedis. The use of ajoene as a 0.4% (w/w) cream resulted in complete clinical and mycological cure in 27 of 34 patients (79%) after 7 days of treatment. The remaining seven patients (21%) achieved complete cure after seven additional days of treatment. All patients were evaluated for recurrence of mycotic infections 90 days after the end of treatment, yielding negative cultures for fungus. These results show that ajoene is an alternative, efficient and low-cost antimycotic drug for short-term therapy of tinea pedis. The fact that ajoene can be easily prepared from an alcoholic extract of garlic may make it suitable for Third World public health care.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Topical
  • Antifungal Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Disulfides / administration & dosage
  • Disulfides / therapeutic use*
  • Epidermophyton / isolation & purification
  • Garlic
  • Humans
  • Military Personnel
  • Ointments
  • Plant Extracts / administration & dosage
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use*
  • Plants, Medicinal
  • Sulfoxides
  • Tinea Pedis / drug therapy*
  • Tinea Pedis / microbiology
  • Trichophyton / isolation & purification
  • Venezuela

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Disulfides
  • Ointments
  • Plant Extracts
  • Sulfoxides
  • ajoene