This document summarizes various types of drugs acting on the skin and mucous membranes. It describes demulcents which form a soothing film, relieving minor pain. Emollients are similar but are oily substances that soften skin. Adsorbents are powders that bind irritants. Astringents cause skin contraction. Keratolytics dissolve skin flakes. Antiseborrheics and antipsoriatics treat seborrhea, psoriasis, and acne. Antiseptics and disinfectants inhibit or kill microorganisms. Scabicides and pediculicides treat scabies and lice infections.

1. Drug acting on Skin and Mucus
membrane

2. Demulcents
 It is derived from the Latin demulcere, "caress“
 It is an inert substances that forms a soothing film over a
skin and mucous membrane relieving minor pain and
inflammation by preventing contact with air or irritants in
the surrounding.
 There are various preparations available and applied as
thick viscous or colloidal solution in water.
 Example
a) Gum acasia or Gum tragacanth
b) Glycyrrhiza
c) Glycerine
d) Methyl cellulose
e) Propylene glycol

3. Emollient
 These are oily substances and as demulcents. It produces
sooth and softens skin.
 They form an occlusion film over a skin and preventing
evaporation thus restoring elasticity of cracked and dry
skin.
 Emollients are also used as a vehicle for opically applied
ointment and suppository bases.
 Emollients that used for different preparations are: .
 Olive oil .
 Coccoa butter .
 Liquid paraffin .
 Bees wax
 Sesame oil
 Hard and soft paraffin
 Wool fat

4. Adsorbants and Protectives
 Adsorbents are fine powder, inert and insoluble solid that
are capable of binding to their surface noxious and irritant
substance (adsorbing).
 They are also called protective because they produce
physically protection to the skin and mucous membrane.
 They protect by the continuous, adherent and flexible
occlusive coating on the skin
 Magnessium stearate/zinc stearate:
 Talk
 Calamine
 Starch:
 Aloevera gel:
 Dimethicon/simethicon:

5. Astringent
 causing the contraction of skin cells and other body
tissues:
 an astringent lotion applied to the skin to reduce bleeding
from minor abrasions or as a cosmetic to make the skin
less oily.
 These are substances that precipitate proteins but do not
penetrate the cell membranes thus affecting the
superficial layer of skin.
 They toughen the surface making it mechanically
stronger and decreases exudation
 Tannins or tannic acid:
 Ethyl alcohol and methyl alcohol
 Heavy metal ions such as aluminium, zinc

6. Irritants and Counter Irritants
 Irritants stimulate sensory nerve ending and induce
inflammation at the of application.
 They also produce cooling sensation or warmth, pricking
and tingling, hyperesthesia or numbless and local
vasodilation.
 Stronger irritants which in addition increases capillary
permeability and causes collection of fluid under the
epidermis are called 'vesicants.
 Certain irritants also produce a remote effect which tends
to release pain and inflammation in deeper organs called
'counter irritants.
 Counter irritants are generally massaged to relieve
headache, muscular pains, joint pain
 Menthol
 Clove oil
 Camphor

7. Keratolytics
 The drugs that are used in the treatment of disorder of
keratin are known as keratolytic agents or keratolytics.
 These are designed to dissolve skin flakes and scales.
 Removing these scales not only improves the appearance
of the skin and minimizes dandruff, it also helps other
topical medications to penetrate the skin better
 These agents are used on hyperkeratotic lesions such as
corns, warts, psoriasis, chronic dermatitis, ring worm,
athlete's foot
 Salicylic acid
 Benzoyl peroxide
 Tretinoin
 urea

8. Antiseborrheics
 These are used for preventing and Relieving signs and
symptoms of seborrhea and seborrheic dermatitis, such as
itching, redness, scaling, and pain.
 Seborrhea is excessive discharge from the sebaceous
glands, forming greasy scales or cheesy plugs on the
body; it is generally attended with itching or burning.
 ketoconazole 2% shampoo, cream
 salicylic acid
 Selenium sulfide (2.5% in shampoo)
 zinc pyrithion
 Coal Tar

9. Antipsoriasis
 Psoriasis is a common, long-term (chronic) inflammatory
skin disease with no cure.
 It is a skin disease that causes a rash with itchy, scaly
patches, most commonly on the knees, elbows, trunk and
scalp.
 It can be painful, interfere with sleep and make it hard to
concentrate.
 The condition tends to go through cycles, flaring for a few
weeks or months, then subsiding for a while.
 Drug Used in Psoriasis
1. Topical therapy: Emollients Keratolytic agents,
glucocorticoids,
2. Systemic therapy: Systemic glucocorticoids, Cyclosporine

10. Acne Vulgaris (Pimple)
 It is a very common skin disorder of the teenagers and
young adults.
 It is usually affects the face but can also spread to the
trunk.
 In adolescents, there is increase in sebum production by
sebaceous gland after puberty.
 Due to blockade of follicular orifice by retention of sebum
and keratinous material small cysts called comedones
('Black' or 'White' head) appear.
 The activity of bacteria Propionibacterium acne within the
comedones release free fatty acids from sebum causes
inflammation within the cyst and result in rapture of the
cell wall.

11. Drugs
1. Cleansers, e.g., Soaps
2. Comedolytics, e.g., Local tretinoin, adapalene etc.
3. Exfoliants (Peeling agent), e.g., Salicylic acid
4. Sebostatics, e.g., Oral Isotretinoin
5. Hormones, e.g., Cyproterone acetate, estrogen
6. Antibacterial drugs:
A. Local: Erythromycin, clindamycin, benzoyl peroxide
B. Systemic: Tetracycline, erythromycin, minocycline, co-
trimoxazole

12. Antiseptic and Disinfectants
 An agent which inhibits the growth or kills the
microorganism used on living surface (i.e. skin and
mucusmembrane) is known as antiseptics.
 An Agent Which inhibits or kills microorganism in
inanimate objects (i.e. instruments, furniture,) are called
disinfectants.
 Similarly antiseptics in higher concentration act as a
disinfectants.
A good antiseptic/disinfectant should be:
 Chemically stable.
 Cheap.
 Non staining with agreeable colour and odour.
 Cidal and destroying spores.
 Active against all pathogens.
 Require brief time of exposure.

13.  Detergents: Soap
 Phenols and phenol derivatives: Phenol, cresol
 Halogens: Iodine, chlorine, chlorinated lime
 Aldehyde: formaldehyde
 Alcohols: ethanol, isopropanol
 Acid : boric acid, acetic acid

14. Scabies and Pediculosis
Scabies
 It is caused by the itch mite Sarcoptess scabiei.
 The female mite borrows into the superficial layers of the
skin to form torturus channels in which the eggs are
dipositated.
 Transmission of the mites occurs by close body contact.
 Unhygenic conditions and crowded housing favour the
spread of the infection which is characterized by intense
itching, usually worse at night.
Pediculosis
 It is still a common condition in tropical countries. It is
caused by the Pediculus humanus and usually affects the
scalp, the body and pubic area.

15. Scabies
 Sulfur
 Benzyl benzoate
 Gamma benzene hexachloride
 Monosulfiram
 Crotamiton
Pediculosis
 Permethrin 1%
 Malathion 0.5%
 Dicophane (DDT) 2%
 Gamma-benzene hexachloride 1%
 Kerosine oil