LOCALLY ACTING DRUGS ON
SKIN AND MUCOUS MEMBRANES

1. Demulcents
                Gum Acacia
                Gum Tragacanth
                Glycyrrhiza
                Methylcellulose
                Propylene glycol
                Glycerine

2. Emollients
    a. Vegetable oils:
                Olive oil
                Arachis oil
                Sesame oil
                Cocoa butter

    b. Animal products:
                Wool fat
                Lard
                Bees wax
                Spermaceti

    c. Petroleum products:
                Paraffin wax (soft/hard)
                Liquid paraffin

3. Adsorbants and Protectives
    a. Dermal protectives:
                Magnesium stearate
                Zinc stearate
                Talc
                Calamine
                Zinc oxide,
                Bentonite
                Starch
                Boric acid
                Aloe-vera gel

    b. Occlusive protectives:
                Polyvinyl polymer
                Feracrylum
                Dimethicone
                Sucralfate

4. Astringents
    a. Vegetable astringents:
                Tannic acid: as glycerine of tannic acid 25%
                Tannins: as tincture catechu, tea leaf infusion

    b. Alcohols:
                Ethanol
                Methanol
                Propanol

    c. Mineral astringents:
                Alum
                Aluminium hydroxychloride
                Zinc oxide
                Zirconyl hydroxychloride

5. Counterirritants
    a. Volatile  oils:
                Turpentine oil
                Eucalyptus oil
                Clove oil

    b. Stearoptenes:
                Camphor
                Thymol
                Menthol

    c. Other counterirritants:
                Mustard seeds (as mustard plaster)
                Capsicum
                Canthridin
                Methylsalicylate
                Alcohol

6. Keratolytics and Caustics
                Salicylic acid
                Resorcinol
                Podophyllum resin
                Silver nitrate
                Phenol
                Trichloracetic acid
                Glacial acetic acid

7. Antiseborrheics

                Selenium sulphide
                Zinc pyrithione
                Sulfur
                Resorcinol
                Coal tar
                Ketoconazole
                Clotrimazole
                Topical cortico-steroids

8. Melanizing agents

                Psoralen
                Methoxsalen
                Trioxsalen

9. Demelanizing agents
                Hydroquinone
                Monobenzone
                Azelaic acid

10. Sunscreens
    a. Chemical sunscreens:
                Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA)
                Oxybenzone
                Octyl methoxy cinnamate

    b. Physical sunscreens:
                Petroleum jelly (heavy)
                Titanium dioxide
                Zinc oxide
                Calamine

11. Drugs for Psoriasis
                Topical corticosteroids
                Calcipotriol
                Tazarotene
                Coaltar
                Acitretin
                Psoralen-ultraviolet A (PUVA) therapy
    Immunosuppressants:
                Methotrexate
                Etanercept

12. Drugs for Acne vulgaris
    a. Topical therapy:
        Antimicrobials:
                Benzoyl peroxide
                Erythromycin
                Clindamycin
                Nadifloxacin

        Retinoids:
                Tretinoin (Retinoic acid, all trans vitamin A acid)
                Adapalene
                Tazarotene

        Others:
                Azelaic acid

    b. Systemic therapy:
        Antibiotics:
                Tetracycline
                Minocycline
                Erythromycin

        Retinoid:
                Isotretinoin (13-cis retinoic acid)