griseofulvin Side Effects
Also known as: Grifulvin V
Analysis of 278 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2004 to 2025.
Total Reports
278
Death-Related
15
5.4% of reports
Hospitalizations
94
33.8% of reports
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Most Reported Adverse Reactions
Who Reports Side Effects
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Reporting Trend by Year
Reactions in Death Reports
Top reactions reported in 15 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| DEATH | 6 |
| CEREBELLAR INFARCTION | 3 |
| CEREBRAL TOXOPLASMOSIS | 3 |
| DIARRHOEA | 3 |
| ORAL CANDIDIASIS | 3 |
| DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 2 |
| DYSPNOEA | 2 |
| MENINGITIS | 2 |
| ABSCESS FUNGAL | 1 |
| ACUTE RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME | 1 |
| ASTHENIA | 1 |
| DERMATOPHYTOSIS | 1 |
| DISEASE RECURRENCE | 1 |
| DRUG HYPERSENSITIVITY | 1 |
| EOSINOPHILIC PNEUMONIA | 1 |
| FISTULA | 1 |
| FOETAL EXPOSURE DURING PREGNANCY | 1 |
| GANGRENE | 1 |
| GLOMERULONEPHRITIS PROLIFERATIVE | 1 |
| GRANULOMA | 1 |
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Top reactions in 94 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| DRUG REACTION WITH EOSINOPHILIA AND SYSTEMIC SYMPTOMS | 9 |
| DELIRIUM | 8 |
| DRUG INTERACTION | 8 |
| DIARRHOEA | 7 |
| LINEAR IGA DISEASE | 7 |
| PAIN | 7 |
| ERYTHEMA MULTIFORME | 6 |
| ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY | 5 |
| DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 5 |
| OEDEMA PERIPHERAL | 5 |
| TUBULOINTERSTITIAL NEPHRITIS | 5 |
| ANXIETY | 4 |
| FATIGUE | 4 |
| FOCAL SEGMENTAL GLOMERULOSCLEROSIS | 4 |
| PYREXIA | 4 |
| RASH | 4 |
| RENAL FAILURE | 4 |
| TOXIC EPIDERMAL NECROLYSIS | 4 |
| CEREBELLAR INFARCTION | 3 |
| CEREBRAL TOXOPLASMOSIS | 3 |
Nearby — Related Medications
What the FAERS Data Reveals About griseofulvin Side Effects
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 278 voluntary reports linked to griseofulvin and its brand equivalents (Grifulvin V), spanning 2004 through 2025. Of those, 15 (5.4%) listed death as an outcome and 94 (33.8%) involved hospitalization. The most common indication reported alongside adverse events was Product Used For Unknown Indication.
Demographic breakdowns help contextualize who is being exposed to the drug. Of reports with known sex, 44% were female and 56% male; age distribution skews toward 18-44, with 56 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is drug ineffective with 38 submissions, followed by headache and off label use.
FAERS is a signal-detection tool, not a scorecard. Reports are voluntary, and a single case may list multiple suspect drugs, so numbers above should not be read as incidence rates or per-patient risk. Widely prescribed drugs naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies even when individual risk is low. These aggregates are useful for spotting patterns that merit further pharmacovigilance, not for choosing between medications. This page is for educational reference only and is not medical advice — speak with a licensed clinician about any side-effect concerns.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.