Abstract

Nail fungus, also known as onychomycosis, involves infection of the nails typically toenails by various types of fungi. The impact of nail fungal infection includes pain and discomfort, cosmetic concerns, risk of spreading, treatment challenges, functional impairment, and medical complications. This report reviews the potential use and effectiveness of tee tree oil, oregano oil, lavender oil, and coconut oil in treating these infections. A survey was conducted during a Drug Informatics class as a homework assignment to P1 (first-year) pharmacy students. The purpose of the survey was to determine the participants’ levels of knowledge and to measure their opinions based on literature review. The survey contained five knowledge-based questions and five opinion-based questions. A total of 39 students participated in this study. The knowledge-based questions showed that a-72.6% correct answer rate. The question that received the highest percentage of correct answers (94%) was the answers regarding tea tree oil. The opinion-based questions showed that respondents had a positive view regarding the use of oils in the treatment of nail fungus infections. The cumulative agreement rate (agree and strongly agree) was 86.6%.

Keywords:Onychomycosis; Dermatophytes; Environment; Antiseptic