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Women’s health

Miconazole, sold under the brand name Monistat among others, is an antifungal medication used to treat ring worm, pityriasis versicolor, and yeast infections of the skin or vagina.^[1] It is used for ring worm of the body, groin (jock itch), and feet (athlete’s foot).^[1] It is applied to the skin or vagina as a cream or ointment.^[1]

Common side effects include itchiness or irritation of the area in which it was applied.^[1] Use in pregnancy is believed to be safe for the baby.^[2]Miconazole is in the imidazole family of medications.^[1] It works by decreasing the ability of fungi to make ergosterol, an important part of their cell membrane.^[1]

Miconazole was patented in 1968 and approved for medical use in 1971.^[3] It is on the World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medicines, the safest and most effective medicines needed in a health system.^[4] The wholesale cost in the developing world is about US$0.23 to US$0.60 for a 30 gram tube.^[5] In the United States a course of treatment costs less than US$25