Tolnaftate is a synthetic over-the-counter anti-fungal agent. It may come as a cream, powder, spray, or liquid aerosol, and is used to treat jock itch, athlete's foot and ringworm. It is sold under several brand names, most notably Tinactin (Schering-Plough Corporation) and Odor Eaters (Combe Incorporated). Other brands are Absorbine, Aftate, Genaspor, Lamasil AF, NP 27, Scholl and Ting.
Although the exact mechanism of action is not entirely known, it is believed to inhibit the squalene epoxidase, an important enzyme in the biosynthetic pathway of ergosterol (a key component of the fungal membrane) in a similar way to allylamines.
Tolnaftate has been found to be generally slightly less effective than azoles when used to treat tinea pedis. It is, however, useful when dealing with ringworm, especially when passed from pets to humans.














