Griseofulvin is an oral antifungal medicine for infections caused by dermatophytes — the ringworm family of fungi that attack skin, hair and nails. Taken by mouth, it deposits itself in newly forming keratin, so the new hair, skin or nail grows out fungus-proof while the infected old growth is shed. That mechanism explains both its strength and its patience: it reaches infections a cream cannot, and it needs weeks to months to finish the job.
In the NAFDAC register
26 registered products
from 22 registration holders
What it costs online
about ₦7,750
≈₦388 per tablet (tablet/capsule)
Sampled from 3 listings across HealthPlus and MedPlus · August 2026
Full price breakdown →Brands of Griseofulvin in Nigeria
Comes as
- Tablet500 mg· 4 makers
- Suspension125 mg/5 mL· 3 makers
Those 26 products from 22 registration holders include combination products and older listings; below are the most common brands.
| Brand Name | Manufacturer | Strength | Form | NAFDAC Reg. No. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recgriso Suspension | GoldMoore International Limited | 125mg/5mL | Suspension | A4-2598 |
| Emzor Griseofulvin 500 Tablet | Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd | 500mg | Tablet | A11-100117 |
| Emzor Griseofulvin 125 Tablet | Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd | 125mg | Tablet | A11-100064 |
| Griseo Cream | La-Lid Pharmaceutical Company Ltd | 1% | Cream | A4-0427 |
Griseofulvin Price in Nigeria
As of August 2026, Griseofulvin sells for about ₦7,750 online in Nigeria (₦2,750–₦8,090) across HealthPlus and MedPlus. Open-market prices (e.g. Idumota, Ogbogwu) are often lower.
Online retail (sampled)
₦2,750 for 20 tablets
₦8,090 for 20 tablets
Same 500mg Griseofulvin — 2.9× the price for an identical pack, so the difference is the brand.
median ₦7,750 · 3 listings
CheapestGENEVIN (GRISEFULVIN) 500MG *20TABS(MedPlus)
₦2,750PriciestRefucil 500mg (Griseofulvin) x20(HealthPlus)
₦8,0903 listings across HealthPlus + MedPlus — brands and pack sizes vary · August 2026.
tablets: about ₦388 per tablet (₦138–₦405), from the 3 listings that state a pack size.
First tracked August 2026.
How to Verify Your Griseofulvin is Genuine
- 1Check the NAFDAC registration number on the pack — Emzor Griseofulvin 500 carries A11-100117 and the 125mg strength A11-100064 in our copy of the register.
- 2Recgriso suspension (GoldMoore, made in Nigeria) is registered as A4-2598.
- 3Griseofulvin brands lapse often — most of the register's griseofulvin entries are no longer active — so run the exact number on your pack through our NAFDAC checker before paying.
- 4For a child's scalp ringworm you may be offered the suspension: check its number separately, because suspensions and tablets are registered as different products.
- 5Buy from a registered pharmacy. A medicine taken daily for six to eight weeks by a schoolchild is exactly where a substandard product wastes months and money.
Where to Buy
Buying Griseofulvin by the carton
Cartons are bought at Nigeria's four open drug markets. Each guide names the sellers there you can contact, and how to buy safely:
No shop we list has Griseofulvin on its confirmed product list yet — the market guides still tell you where the trade happens and how to buy there safely.
Wherever you buy, buy only from licensed pharmacies and verified distributors — not roadside vendors — and verify the pack's NAFDAC registration before you pay. Buying Griseofulvin in bulk or for resale? See how to buy medicines in bulk in Nigeria safely.
Need Griseofulvin in bulk, or can't find it near you?
Tell us what you need and we'll connect you with a verified, NAFDAC-registered source.
What is Griseofulvin?
Its great Nigerian role is scalp ringworm in children — tinea capitis, the patchy, scaly, hair-breaking infection that runs through classrooms and barbershops. Creams cannot reach fungus inside the hair shaft, so an oral medicine is the treatment, and griseofulvin has been the standard one for decades; it is on the WHO essential medicines list for exactly this. Older Nigerians know it by the classic brand names Fulcin and Grisovin, and ask for it by those names long after the packs on the shelf became generics from Emzor and others.
The register tells the same churning story as many older generics: our copy of the NAFDAC register carries a couple of dozen griseofulvin registrations, but most are lapsed or inactive, with only about a third currently active — including Nigerian-made options. So the brand in the pharmacy this year may not be the one from last year, and checking the number on the pack is more useful than trusting a name.
What is Griseofulvin used for?
In Nigeria, Griseofulvin is commonly used for:
- Tinea capitis (scalp ringworm), particularly in children — the core indication
- Widespread or stubborn tinea corporis (body ringworm) that topical creams have not cleared
- Tinea cruris (groin ringworm) when recurrent or extensive
- Tinea unguium / onychomycosis (fungal nails), where treatment runs for months
- Athlete's foot (tinea pedis) that keeps relapsing after creams
Dosage
IMPORTANT
Always follow your doctor's or pharmacist's instructions. The information below is for general reference only.
Adults
A common adult dose is 500mg once daily (or in divided doses) with a meal containing some fat or oil — a normal Nigerian meal does fine — because fat dramatically improves absorption. Skin infections typically need 2–6 weeks, scalp infections 6–8 weeks, and nail infections can need 6 months or more. The commonest treatment failure is simply stopping too soon, when the skin looks better but the fungus is not gone.
Children
Children are dosed by weight, commonly around 10–20mg per kg daily depending on the preparation, using the 125mg tablets or the 125mg/5mL suspension. Scalp ringworm in a child needs the full 6–8 week course — and it is worth treating combs, caps and clippers at the same time, or the infection simply returns.
Elderly
No special dose is usual, but liver function matters more with age, and long courses in older adults deserve a doctor's check of what else they are taking — griseofulvin's interactions are its quiet hazard.
Take it with food, complete the full course, and do not judge success by the first fortnight. For scalp ringworm, family screening matters — treating one child while a sibling carries the fungus is how a household stays infected for a year.
Side Effects
Common side effects
- •Headache — common in the first days and usually settling
- •Nausea or stomach upset
- •Skin sensitivity to sunlight — noticeable rashes after sun exposure
- •Altered taste
- •Dizziness or tiredness
Serious side effects — seek medical help immediately
- Allergic reactions and severe skin rashes — rare
- Liver upset — jaundice, dark urine, persistent nausea
- A lupus-like reaction or worsening of lupus — rare
- Low white blood cell counts on long courses — rare
- Severe reaction with alcohol — flushing, racing heart
When to see a doctor
Stop the tablets and see a doctor for yellowing of the eyes or skin, a spreading rash or blistering, unusual bruising, or persistent vomiting — and report any infection that looks unchanged after a month of proper treatment, because the diagnosis may need a second look.
Warnings & Precautions
Do not take Griseofulvin if you have:
- Pregnancy — griseofulvin can harm an unborn baby and must not be taken while pregnant
- Significant liver disease
- Porphyria
- Known allergy to griseofulvin
Drug interactions
- •Hormonal contraceptives — griseofulvin can make the pill fail; use an additional barrier method during treatment and for a month after
- •Warfarin — griseofulvin reduces its effect, risking clots; the combination needs INR monitoring
- •Alcohol — can produce flushing, racing heart and vomiting with griseofulvin; best avoided during the course
- •Phenobarbital and similar enzyme-inducing medicines reduce griseofulvin's absorption and can cause treatment failure
- •Ciclosporin and some other transplant medicines — levels can fall dangerously
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Do not take griseofulvin in pregnancy — it is one of the few common medicines with a hard line here. Women should avoid becoming pregnant during treatment and for at least one month after finishing; men are advised to avoid fathering a child during treatment and for six months after, because the drug affects sperm. Breastfeeding while on griseofulvin is generally not recommended.
Related Resources for Griseofulvin
Guides, articles, and tools related to Griseofulvin and other antifungals medicines in Nigeria.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
- •NAFDAC Greenbook — the official database of all products registered with Nigeria's National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control. Brand-level NAFDAC numbers for Griseofulvin on this page were cross-referenced against the Greenbook.
- •WHO Model List of Essential Medicines — Griseofulvin is included in the WHO's list of essential medicines, meaning it is considered essential for basic healthcare needs.
- •British National Formulary (BNF) dosing and interaction guidance for Griseofulvin.
- •Nigerian Standard Treatment Guidelines (Federal Ministry of Health).
Daily puzzle: Meddle — pair five brands with their medicines. New game at midnight.