Nystatin Cream

Medical Editor: John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP Last updated on RxList: 7/14/2022

Drug Summary

What Is Nystatin Cream?

Nystatin Cream (Brand Name: Mycostatin) topical (for the skin) is an antifungal medication used to treat skin infections caused by yeast. Nystatin cream is available in generic form.

What Are Side Effects of Nystatin Cream?

Common side effects of nystatin cream include skin irritation, itching, or redness. Tell your doctor if you have side effects such as severe burning, itching, rash, or pain where nystatin cream is applied.

Seek medical care or call 911 at once if you have the following serious side effects:

  • Serious eye symptoms such as sudden vision loss, blurred vision, tunnel vision, eye pain or swelling, or seeing halos around lights;
  • Serious heart symptoms such as fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeats; fluttering in your chest; shortness of breath; and sudden dizziness, lightheartedness, or passing out;
  • Severe headache, confusion, slurred speech, arm or leg weakness, trouble walking, loss of coordination, feeling unsteady, very stiff muscles, high fever, profuse sweating, or tremors.

This document does not contain all possible side effects and others may occur. Check with your physician for additional information about side effects.

Dosage for Nystatin Cream

Nystatin preparations should be applied liberally to affected areas twice a day or as indicated until healing is complete. Nystatin cream is usually preferred to nystatin ointment in candidiasis involving areas of the skin that may come in contact with other areas of the skin; very moist lesions are best treated with Nystatin topical powder.

What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Nystatin Cream?

It is not likely that other drugs you take orally or inject will have an effect on topically applied Nystatin Cream. But many drugs can interact with each other. Tell your doctor all prescription and over-the-counter medications and supplements you use.

Nystatin Cream During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Nystatin-Cream should be used only if prescribed during pregnancy. It is not known whether this drug passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

Additional Information

Our Nystatin-Cream Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.

Description for Nystatin Cream

Nystatin is a polyene antifungal antibiotic obtained from Streptomyces nursei. Structural formula:

NYSTATIN - nystatin cream cream Structural Formula Illustration

Nystatin Cream, USP is for dermatologic use.

Nystatin cream for topical use, contains 100,000 USP nystatin units per gram in a cream base containing aluminum hydroxide gel, ceteareth-15, glyceryl monostearate, polyethylene glycol 400 monostearate, propylene glycol, purified water, simethicone emulsion, sorbitol solution, titanium dioxide, white petrolatum, methylparaben, propylparaben, and sodium hydroxide.

Uses for Nystatin Cream

Nystatin Cream, USP is indicated in the treatment of cutaneous or mucocutaneous mycotic infections caused by Candida albicans and other susceptible Candida species.

This cream is not indicated for systemic, oral, intravaginal or ophthalmic use.

Dosage for Nystatin Cream

Adults and Pediatric Patients (Neonates and Older)

Apply liberally to affected areas twice daily or as indicated until healing is complete.

HOW SUPPLIED

Nystatin Cream, USP is a smooth yellow cream.

Nystatin Cream, USP is supplied in 15 g (NDC 0713-0678-15) and 30 g (NDC 0713-0678-31) tubes providing 100,000 USP Nystatin units per gram.

Store at 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F) [see USP Controlled Room Temperature]. Avoid freezing.

Manufactured by: G&W Laboratories, Inc., 111 Coolidge Street, South Plainfield, NJ 07080. Revised: Aug 2015

Side Effects for Nystatin Cream

The frequency of adverse events reported in patients using nystatin cream is less than 0.1%. The more common events that were reported include allergic reactions, burning, itching, rash, eczema, and pain on application. (See PRECAUTIONS: General.)

To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact G&W Laboratories , Inc. at 1-800- 922-1038 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

Drug Interactions for Nystatin Cream

None provided.

Warnings for Nystatin Cream

Please refer to the PRECAUTIONS section.

Precautions for Nystatin Cream

General

Nystatin cream should not be used for the treatment of systemic, oral, intravaginal or ophthalmic infections.

If irritation or sensitization develops, treatment should be discontinued and appropriate measures taken as indicated. It is recommended that KOH smears, cultures, or other diagnostic methods be used to confirm the diagnosis of cutaneous or mucocutaneous candidiasis and to rule out infection caused by other pathogens.

Laboratory Tests

If there is a lack of therapeutic response, KOH smears, cultures or other diagnostic methods should be repeated.

Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, And Impairment Of Fertility

No long-term animal studies have been performed to evaluate the carcinogenic potential of nystatin. No studies have been performed to determine the mutagenicity of nystatin or the effects on male or female fertility.

Pregnancy

Teratogenic Effects

Category C

Animal reproduction studies have not been conducted with any nystatin cream. It also is not known whether this cream can cause fetal harm when used by a pregnant woman or can affect reproductive capacity. Nystatin cream should be prescribed for a pregnant woman only if the potential benefit to the mother outweighs the potential risk to the fetus.

Nursing Mothers

It is not known whether nystatin is excreted in human milk. Caution should be exercised when nystatin is prescribed for a nursing woman.

Pediatric Use

Safety and effectiveness have been established in the pediatric population from birth to 16 years. (See DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION.)

Geriatric Use

Clinical studies with nystatin cream did not include sufficient numbers of subjects aged 65 years and older to determine whether they respond differently than younger subjects. Other reported clinical experience has not identified differences in responses between elderly and younger patients, but greater sensitivity of some older individuals cannot be ruled out.

Overdose Information for Nystatin Cream

No information provided.

Contraindications for Nystatin Cream

Nystatin cream is contraindicated in patients with a history of hypersensitivity to any of its components.

Clinical Pharmacology for Nystatin Cream

Pharmacokinetics

Nystatin is not absorbed from intact skin or mucous membrane.

Microbiology

Nystatin is an antibiotic which is both fungistatic and fungicidal in vitro against a wide variety of yeasts and yeast-like fungi, including Candida albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, C. guilliermondi, C. pseudotropicalis, C. krusei, Torulopsis glabrata, Tricophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes. Nystatin acts by binding to sterols in the cell membrane of susceptible species resulting in a change in membrane permeability and the subsequent leakage of intracellular components. On repeated subculturing with increasing levels of nystatin, Candida albicans does not develop resistance to nystatin. Generally, resistance to nystatin does not develop during therapy. However, other species of Candida (C. tropicalis, C. guilliermondi, C. krusei, and C. stellatoides) become quite resistant on treatment with nystatin and simultaneously become cross resistant to amphotericin as well. This resistance is lost when the antibiotic is removed. Nystatin exhibits no appreciable activity against bacteria, protozoa, or viruses.

Patient Information for Nystatin Cream

Patients using this medication should receive the following information and instructions:

The patient should be instructed to use this medication as directed (including the replacement of missed doses). This medication is not for any disorder other than that for which it is prescribed.

Even if symptomatic relief occurs within the first few days of treatment, the patient should be advised not to interrupt or discontinue therapy until the prescribed course of treatment is completed.

If symptoms of irritation develop, the patient should be advised to notify the physician promptly.

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