Can Dandruff Shampoos Kill Yeast?
ABSTRACT & COMMENTARY
Synopsis: Not surprisingly, the Nizoral shampoos, containing ketozonazole, were consistently more active than the other products.
Source: Bulmer AC, Bulmer GS. Mycopathologia 2000;147: 63-65.
The yeast, Malassezia furfur, is generally believed to play a pathogenic role in the development of that chronic scalp condition called seborreic dermatosis—or dandruff—although it may simply be a normal human commensal in others. Bulmer and Bulmer examined the antifungal activity of six different over-the-counter hair shampoos purported to be helpful in the treatment of dandruff, including Head & Shoulders (Janssen), Pantene Blue (Proctor & Gamble), Gard Violet (Colgate-Palmolive), Selsun Blue (Abbott), and Nizoral 1%, and Nizoral 2% (both Janssen). Serial 10-fold dilutions (up to 106) of the shampoo products were tested for their antifungal activity against plates of cultured M. furfur, isolated from the scalp of a single individual with dandruff.
All of the products demonstrated some antifungal activity at dilutions of as little as 1:1000. Not surprisingly, however, the Nizoral shampoos, containing ketozonazole, were consistently more active than the other products. The 2% Nizoral shampoo was 10 times more active than the 1% product, and both were at least 100 times better than any of the other products.
Comment by Carol A. Kemper, MD, FACP
Whether this translates into a more effective product at controlling dandruff is unknown, but in the absence of any better clinical data, I’d choose the Nizoral products if I had a problem. (Dr. Kemper is Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine, Stanford University, Division of Infectious Diseases; Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, Calif.) v
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