Itraconazole is an antifungal drug (a drug that kills fungi). It’s used to treat infections that are caused by fungi, including those that affect fingernails and toenails. It doesn’t change the way that damaged nails look. But, by stopping the fungus, it allows new nails to grow normally. The brand name for itraconazole pills is Sporanox.

You’ll need to take itraconazole pills for at least three months. There are two ways you can take itraconazole pills:

• You can take them every day. This is called continuous treatment
• Or you can take them for one week in every four weeks. This is called pulsed treatment or intermittent treatment.

Sometimes people get more serious side effects. These are rare but it is important to know about them. Itraconazole can cause liver problems and heart problems. Itraconazole should not be used by people with certain heart problems, especially heart failure. Talk to your doctor if you’re unsure whether you should be taking these pills.