BENHA UNIVERSITY, CREDIT HOURS SYSTEM
PHARMACOLOGY, SKIN (PHA311)
FOR STUDENTS ENROLLED IN PHARMACOLOGY PROGRAMS
DRUGS AFFECTING SKIN
- Background.
- Emollients.
- Styptics.
- Keratolytics.
- Diaphoretics.
- Counter irritants.
- Depilatories.
BACKGROUND
The skin functions not simply as a passive barrier, but also as an important organ intimately connected
to the immune and nervous systems. Many drugs are used for taking care of skin for protecting it or for
treating bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections. Furthermore, transdermal drug delivery for systemic therapy
is also applied.
Drugs used topically on the skin are either in the form of powder, or spray, or solution or lotion or ointments
or creams or gels or plasters.
Most of drugs applied to the skin act locally, as the absorption from skin is slow. However, lipid soluble drugs
are well absorbed when applied as such or incorporated in absorbable fatty bases as lanoline (sheep wool fat)
or lard (hog omentum fat; hog is the castrated pig). On the other hand, drugs incorporated in nonabsorbable
fatty bases as Vaseline are not absorbed, yet these bases are still beneficial in protecting and hydrating skins in
dermatological affections associated with dry fissured skin.
Agents and drugs acting on skin can be classified according to their nature of action into the following groups:
A. Skin sedatives
B. Skin stimulants
C. Other drugs
SKIN Pharmacology Surviving Revision
, BENHA UNIVERSITY, CREDIT HOURS SYSTEM
A. SKIN SEDATIVES
Def.: These are the drugs which sooth skin and reduce inflammation of the skin.
Members:
1. Emollients 2. Styptics
3. Diaphoretics 4. Local anaesthetics
5. Demulcents 6. Astringents
A.1. EMOLLIENTS
Def.: These are the drugs which soften and lubricate skin surface. They are also used as vehicles for some
drugs.
Members:
Emollients are classified according to their source into the following groups:
Vegetable oils Animal fats Hydrocarbons
- Cotton seed oil -Lanoline -Liquid paraffin
- Caster oil (Sheep wool fat) -Vaseline
- Olive oil -Lard -Hard paraffin
- Almond oil (Hog omentum fat)
Therapeutic uses:
- Skin affections associated with dry fissured skin.
- Skin protection
- Vehicles for some drugs.
A.2. STYPTICS
Def.:
These are the drugs which stop superficial haemorrhage by precipitating epidermal and dermal proteins.
Members:
-Alum
-Tannic acid
- Ferric chloride 1%
Therapeutic uses:
- Skin small haemorrhages as those of shaving.
SKIN Pharmacology Surviving Revision
PHARMACOLOGY, SKIN (PHA311)
FOR STUDENTS ENROLLED IN PHARMACOLOGY PROGRAMS
DRUGS AFFECTING SKIN
- Background.
- Emollients.
- Styptics.
- Keratolytics.
- Diaphoretics.
- Counter irritants.
- Depilatories.
BACKGROUND
The skin functions not simply as a passive barrier, but also as an important organ intimately connected
to the immune and nervous systems. Many drugs are used for taking care of skin for protecting it or for
treating bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections. Furthermore, transdermal drug delivery for systemic therapy
is also applied.
Drugs used topically on the skin are either in the form of powder, or spray, or solution or lotion or ointments
or creams or gels or plasters.
Most of drugs applied to the skin act locally, as the absorption from skin is slow. However, lipid soluble drugs
are well absorbed when applied as such or incorporated in absorbable fatty bases as lanoline (sheep wool fat)
or lard (hog omentum fat; hog is the castrated pig). On the other hand, drugs incorporated in nonabsorbable
fatty bases as Vaseline are not absorbed, yet these bases are still beneficial in protecting and hydrating skins in
dermatological affections associated with dry fissured skin.
Agents and drugs acting on skin can be classified according to their nature of action into the following groups:
A. Skin sedatives
B. Skin stimulants
C. Other drugs
SKIN Pharmacology Surviving Revision
, BENHA UNIVERSITY, CREDIT HOURS SYSTEM
A. SKIN SEDATIVES
Def.: These are the drugs which sooth skin and reduce inflammation of the skin.
Members:
1. Emollients 2. Styptics
3. Diaphoretics 4. Local anaesthetics
5. Demulcents 6. Astringents
A.1. EMOLLIENTS
Def.: These are the drugs which soften and lubricate skin surface. They are also used as vehicles for some
drugs.
Members:
Emollients are classified according to their source into the following groups:
Vegetable oils Animal fats Hydrocarbons
- Cotton seed oil -Lanoline -Liquid paraffin
- Caster oil (Sheep wool fat) -Vaseline
- Olive oil -Lard -Hard paraffin
- Almond oil (Hog omentum fat)
Therapeutic uses:
- Skin affections associated with dry fissured skin.
- Skin protection
- Vehicles for some drugs.
A.2. STYPTICS
Def.:
These are the drugs which stop superficial haemorrhage by precipitating epidermal and dermal proteins.
Members:
-Alum
-Tannic acid
- Ferric chloride 1%
Therapeutic uses:
- Skin small haemorrhages as those of shaving.
SKIN Pharmacology Surviving Revision
