Terbane is terbinafine — an antifungal available as a cream, a nail solution and a tablet. It treats athlete’s foot, ringworm, jock itch and fungal nail infections. The cream is available from a pharmacy; the tablets need a prescription, because taken by mouth terbinafine affects the liver.
What is Terbane?
The South African Medicine Price Registry lists Terbane in three forms, all containing terbinafine:
| Product | Schedule | Form | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terbane | S1 | Cream | 10 mg/g (1%) |
| Terbane Nail | S1 | Nail solution | 78.22 mg/ml |
| Terbane | S4 | Tablet | 250 mg |
Terbinafine is an allylamine antifungal. It blocks squalene epoxidase, an enzyme fungi need to make ergosterol — the sterol that gives a fungal cell membrane its structure. Human cells use cholesterol instead and lack this enzyme, which is why terbinafine targets fungi so specifically.
It is fungicidal against dermatophytes — the fungi causing athlete’s foot, ringworm, jock itch and most nail infection. It kills them rather than just stopping their growth, which is why courses are shorter than with clotrimazole.
**It is less effective against yeasts such as Candida, which cause thrush and many skin-fold rashes. For those, clotrimazole is the better choice** — see Canex V. Matching the antifungal to the organism is the commonest reason one “doesn’t work”.
The three forms do quite different jobs.
The cream treats skin infection, building up in the outer skin layer and persisting for days after stopping — which is why one to two weeks clears athlete’s foot that would take four with clotrimazole.
The nail solution is painted on. Nail infections are hard to treat topically because the nail plate is a poor barrier — it suits early infection affecting a small part of the nail, and needs months of daily application.
The tablets treat established nail infection and extensive skin infection. They are prescription-only because terbinafine is processed by the liver and can, rarely, cause serious liver injury. Courses run six weeks for fingernails, twelve for toenails.
What is Terbane commonly used for?
Cream:
- Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) — itching, scaling and cracking between the toes.
- Ringworm (tinea corporis) — the ring-shaped, scaly, spreading patch.
- Jock itch (tinea cruris) — in the groin and inner thighs.
- Fungal infection of the trunk, arms or legs.
- Pityriasis versicolor, the patchy discolouration on the trunk.
Nail solution:
- Early or superficial fungal nail infection, affecting a small part of one or two nails.
Tablets:
- Fungal nail infection (onychomycosis) — the main use, and the only reliably effective treatment for established infection.
- Extensive or resistant skin infection.
- Scalp ringworm (tinea capitis), which always needs oral treatment — cream cannot reach fungus inside hair follicles.
Points that decide whether treatment works:
Finish the course. Skin infection looks better long before it is cleared. Stopping when it looks better is the commonest cause of recurrence.
Treat the feet even if only the groin itches. Jock itch is very often spread from athlete’s foot, and treating one without the other means it comes straight back.
Confirm nail infection before taking tablets. Only about half of abnormal-looking nails are actually fungal — psoriasis and trauma look similar, and a three-month course with liver monitoring is not worth taking unnecessarily. Ask for a nail clipping to be tested.
Nails take a long time to look normal. The nail must grow out — six to twelve months for a toenail — so an unchanged nail at the end of the course does not mean it failed.
Practical measures matter: dry between the toes, change socks daily, alternate shoes, and do not share towels or nail clippers.
How Terbane fits into this medicine category
| Group | Examples | Best against |
|---|---|---|
| Allylamines | Terbinafine (Terbane) | Dermatophytes — athlete’s foot, ringworm, nails |
| Azoles | Clotrimazole (Canex V), miconazole, ketoconazole | Yeasts and dermatophytes; thrush |
| Oral azoles | Fluconazole, itraconazole | Thrush, systemic fungal infection |
| Polyenes | Nystatin | Candida only |
| Topical steroids | Clomaderm | Not for fungal infection — makes it worse |
| Combination creams | Quadriderm and similar | Only where infection and inflammation coexist |
The fifth row matters. Applying a steroid cream to ringworm suppresses the redness briefly while the fungus spreads and loses its typical appearance — tinea incognito. If a rash improved on a steroid cream and then got worse, that is the likely explanation.
See the skin and wound care medicines hub.
What to check before using Terbane
For the cream and nail solution, few precautions apply. Tell a pharmacist if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, treating a child, or the area is broken, weeping or badly inflamed.
For the tablets, more matters. Tell your doctor if you:
- Have liver disease, or have had liver problems on any medicine. Liver function is checked before starting and usually during a long course.
- Have kidney disease.
- Have lupus or another autoimmune condition — terbinafine can trigger or worsen lupus.
- Have psoriasis, which it can flare.
- Take warfarin, rifampicin, cimetidine, tricyclic antidepressants, SSRIs, beta blockers or antiarrhythmics — terbinafine inhibits CYP2D6 and raises the levels of several of these.
- Are pregnant, planning pregnancy or breastfeeding, or drink heavily.
Practical points:
- Wash and dry the area before applying the cream.
- Apply a thin layer to the rash and a margin of normal skin around it.
- Complete the course — usually one to two weeks for athlete’s foot, longer for other sites.
- Wash your hands afterwards.
- Take tablets with or without food, once daily, for the full course.
- Report any yellowing, dark urine or persistent nausea immediately while on tablets.
- Do not use a steroid cream on a fungal rash.
Possible cautions and when to ask a pharmacist or doctor
The cream commonly causes mild burning, stinging, itching or redness at the site, usually brief.
The tablets commonly cause taste disturbance, loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal discomfort, diarrhoea, headache and rash.
Taste and smell disturbance deserves specific mention. Terbinafine can cause a lasting loss or distortion of taste — food tasting metallic, or of nothing. It affects a small minority, usually recovers within weeks to months of stopping, but can occasionally be prolonged or permanent. Report it early rather than finishing the course regardless.
Get emergency help for:
- Yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, pale stools, persistent nausea or vomiting, or upper abdominal pain — possible liver injury. Stop the tablets and seek help the same day.
- A widespread rash, particularly with blistering, peeling, mouth sores or fever.
- Swelling of the face, lips or tongue, or difficulty breathing.
Seek prompt advice for:
- Any rash while taking the tablets.
- Loss or change of taste.
- A rash on sun-exposed skin, or unusual sunburn.
- Unusual bruising, bleeding, or a sore throat with fever.
- Joint pain with a rash, which can signal drug-induced lupus.
- New or worsening psoriasis.
See a doctor rather than self-treating if:
- The rash is on the scalp — that always needs oral treatment.
- It is not improving after two weeks of cream.
- It is weeping, crusted, painful or spreading, or you have fever.
- You have diabetes, poor circulation, or a weakened immune system — foot infections in diabetes need professional assessment early.
- You want tablets for a nail — get the diagnosis confirmed first.
- The rash keeps returning.
Related medicine guides
Frequently asked questions
What is Terbane used for? Fungal infections — athlete’s foot, ringworm, jock itch and fungal nail infection. It contains terbinafine.
What is the difference between the cream and the tablets? The cream treats skin infection and is available from a pharmacy. The tablets treat nail infection and extensive skin infection, need a prescription, and require liver monitoring.
How long do I use the cream? Usually one to two weeks for athlete’s foot, longer at other sites. Finish the course even once it looks better — stopping early is the commonest cause of recurrence.
Will the nail solution cure my nail? Only for early or superficial infection affecting a small part of the nail, and it takes months. Established nail infection needs tablets.
Why does my nail still look bad after treatment? Because it has to grow out — six to twelve months for a toenail. That does not mean treatment failed.
Should I get my nail tested first? Yes, if tablets are being considered. Only about half of abnormal-looking nails are actually fungal, and a three-month course with liver monitoring is not worth taking unnecessarily.
Is it the same as clotrimazole? No. Terbinafine is better against dermatophytes; clotrimazole is better against yeasts such as Candida. Matching the antifungal to the organism matters.
Can I use a steroid cream on ringworm? No. It suppresses the redness briefly while the fungus spreads and loses its typical appearance, making it harder to diagnose.
Why does everything taste strange? Terbinafine tablets can cause loss or distortion of taste. It usually recovers after stopping, but report it early rather than finishing regardless.