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Fact Sheets

Nystatin (Mycostatin)

Summary: Nystatin is a drug taken to treat mild thrush or yeast infections. Nystatin is not a very powerful drug and is inconvenient to take, but there are very few side effects and no known drug interactions.

What is nystatin?
Nystatin, sold under the brand name Mycostatin, is an antifungal drug that is used to treat and prevent candidiasis. It is available as an oral suspension, oral tablets, ointment, cream and a powder for skin, as well as a vaginal cream.

How is nystatin used?
Nystatin is used to treat mild oral (thrush) or vaginal (yeast) infections caused by the fungus Candida albicans.

Treatment
Nystatin is not as powerful as the oral “azole” drugs (ketoconazole, itraconazole, fluconazole) and it is less convenient to take. On the other hand, it causes fewer side effects, it is much cheaper, and there are no reports of drug interactions.

The amount and formulation of nystatin and the length of time it is taken can vary, depending on the location of the infection. As a rough guide, mild thrush may be treated with

      • 500,000 to 1,000,000 units of nystatin suspension (about 1 teaspoon) swished in the mouth and swallowed, three to five times daily, for seven to 10 days; or
      • oral tablets dissolved in the mouth and swallowed, three to five times daily, for seven to 10 days.
Yeast infections may be treated with 4 grams nystatin vaginal cream inserted into the vagina once or twice daily, for two weeks.

Side effects
Nystatin is generally well tolerated with few side effects reported. The oral suspension or tablets may cause nausea and, at higher doses, vomiting or diarrhea. Nystatin may cause itching, soreness or redness of the mouth or vagina.

Drug interactions
To date, there have been no reports of drug interactions.

2001

Author(s): Maclean D

Reviewed by: Sharon Walmsley, MD, FRCPC

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