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Cantharidin Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of cantharidin include application site vesicles, application site pain, and blister, based on 153 FDA adverse event reports from 2011 to 2025. 2.6% of reports found the drug to be ineffective.

Cantharidin side effects

Percentages show how often each reaction appears relative to total reports for cantharidin.

1
Application Site Vesicles37.3%57
2
Application Site Pain26.1%40
3
Blister17.6%27
4
Pain9.2%14
5
Accidental Exposure To Product3.9%6
6
Application Site Burn3.9%6
7
Nausea3.3%5
8
Off Label Use3.3%5
9
Anaemia3.3%5
10
Application Site Erythema3.3%5
11
Blister Rupture3.3%5
12
Product Use Issue2.6%4
13
Diarrhoea2.6%4
14
Drug Ineffective2.6%4
15
Application Site Pruritus2.6%4

These are voluntary reports and do not establish that cantharidin caused these reactions.

Report severity

22.9%Serious35 reports
8.5%Hospitalizations13 reports
1.3%Fatal2 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Cantharidin drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside cantharidin. Drugs flagged as a suspected cause appear in the first column. Drugs taken at the same time but not suspected appear in the second.

Also suspected

1
Atezolizumab2.0%3
2
Mycophenolate1.3%2
3
Tacrolimus1.3%2
4
Acitretin1.3%2
5
Prednisone1.3%2
6
Ixazomib-citrate1.3%2
7
Imiquimod1.3%2
8
Cimetidine1.3%2
9
Dexamethasone1.3%2
10
Cyclophosphamide1.3%2
11
Brentuximab-vedotin1.3%2
12
Minocycline-hydrochloride0.7%1
13
Acetaminophen0.7%1
14
Ibuprofen0.7%1
15
Oseltamivir-phosphate0.7%1

Taken alongside

1
Dexamethasone5.9%9
2
Prednisone3.3%5
3
Aminosalicylic2.6%4
4
Insulin2.6%4
5
Tacrolimus2.6%4
6
Diphenhydramine2.6%4
7
Potassium-chloride2.6%4
8
Metoprolol2.6%4
9
Calcium2.6%4
10
Furosemide2.6%4
11
Zoledronic-acid2.6%4
12
Acetaminophen2.6%4
13
Metformin2.6%4
14
Nitrogen2.0%3
15
Mycophenolate2.0%3

Co-occurrence in adverse event reports does not establish a drug interaction. Patients often take multiple medications, and these lists reflect prescribing patterns rather than causal relationships. Consult a healthcare provider about potential drug interactions.

Who reports cantharidin side effects

27.5% of cantharidin adverse event reports involve female patients and 28.1% involve male patients. The largest age group is child at 63%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female27.5%
Male28.1%
Unknown44.4%

Age group

< 20.0%
2–1162.5%
12–178.3%
18–6415.3%
65+13.9%

What is cantharidin used for

Conditions and purposes for which patients were taking cantharidin when the adverse event was reported.

Accidental Exposure To ProductAdjuvant TherapyAnogenital WartsColorectal CancerCow PoxFocal Epithelial HyperplasiaHepatocellular CarcinomaLeukopeniaLung Neoplasm MalignantMolluscum ContagiosumMolluscum ContagiosumNeoplasm MalignantOccupational Exposure To ProductOsteoporosisProduct Used For Unknown Indication

Showing 15 of 22 indications

Cantharidin brand names and reporting trend

Cantharidin is sold under the brand name Ycanth.

Brand names

Ycanth42

Quarterly reports (20112025)

2016202020242025

An upward trend reflects increased FAERS reporting overall, not necessarily increased risk.

Taking cantharidin with another medication?

Ask OpenClaim about your specific drug combination. Get a sourced report using FDA data, drug labels, and medical literature.