Active substance (dermatological)

Author:Prof. Dr. med. Peter Altmeyer

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Last updated on: 29.10.2020

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DefinitionThis section has been translated automatically.

Substances used in magistral prescriptions or finished preparations for external therapy (see also excipient).

ClassificationThis section has been translated automatically.

See Table 1.

TablesThis section has been translated automatically.

Overview of the active ingredients used in magistral formulations or finished preparations for external therapy and their maximum concentrations

Active ingredients

Maximum concentration

Remarks

Aciclovir

5%

alclometasone 17,21-dipropionate

0,5%

Acriflavinium chloride

2%

obsolete!

Allantoin

0,2-3%

Allethrin I

0,6%

Aluminium acetate, basic

1,5-10%

Aluminium chloride hexahydrate

10-25%

Amcinonide

0,1%

Ammonium bituminosulfonate (Ichthyol)

10-50%

Amorolfine hydrochloride

0,25-5%

amphotericin B

3%

Anthrarobin

3%

Problems with the pharmaceutical stability of the substance!

Azelaic acid

15-20%

Azulen

0,2%

no longer used in dermatics!

Bacitracin

500 IU/g

Bamipine HCl

2%

Benzalkonium chloride

0,5%

Benzoic acid

6%

obsolete!

Benzocaine

5-10%

Benzoyl peroxide

3-10%

Benzyl alcohol

2-5%

Benzyl benzoate

10-25%

betamethasone 17-valerate

0,15

betamethasone 17,21-dipropionate

0,1

betamethasone 17-benzoate

0,025%

no longer used in Germany!

Bifonazole

1%

Brilliant green

0,5%

unclear benefit-risk assessment; contaminated with heavy metals!

Bufexamac

5%

Calcipotriol

0,005%

Calcium Chloride

5%

Capsaicin

1%

(0.05% according to NRF)

Cetylpyridinium chloride x 2 H2O

1,0%

Cetylpyridinium chloride x 6 H2O

2,0%

Chloramine T

0,25-10%

Chloramphenicol

2%

Chlorhexidine digluconate

1%

Chlorocresol

0,2-1,5%

obsolete!

Chlorphenoxamine-HCl

1,5%

Chlorquinaldol

3%

in Germany not used in dermatics!

Chlortetracycline-HCl

3%

Chrysarobin

5%

obsolete!

Ciclopiroxolamine

1%

Ciclosporin

2%

Clemastine fumarate

0,04%

clindamycin-2-dihydrogen phosphate

1,2%

Clioquinol

3%

clobetasol-17-propionate

0,05%

Clobetasone butyrate

0,05%

clocortolone-21-acetate

0,03-0,1%

no longer used in Germany!

Clocortolone-21-hexanoate (= Clocortolone-21-caproate)

0,03-0,1%

no longer used in Germany!

clocortolone-21-pivalate

0,03-0,1%

in Germany no longer used in dermatics!

Clotrimazole

1%

Croconazole-HCl

1%

Crotamiton

5-10%

Dequalinium chloride

0,4%

Dequalinium salicylate

1%

not used in Germany!

deoximetic acid

0,25%

Dexamethasone

0,1%

Dexpanthenol

5%

Dextranomer

64%

not used in Germany!

diflorasone-17,21-acetate

0,05%

diflucortolone-21-valerate

0,1-0,3%

Dimeticon

10%

Dimetine maleate

0,1%

Diphenhydramine HCl

2%

Dithranol

0,1-3,0%

Econazole

1%

not used in dermatics!

Econazole Nitrate

1%

Erythromycin

4%

Estradiol

0,1%

(0.015% according to NRF)

Estriol

0,1%

Ethacridine lactate

1%

Eucalyptol

10%

Fenticonazole nitrate

2%

flumetasone-21-pivalate

0,02%

Fluocinoline acetonide

0,025%

Fluocortolone-21-hexanoate (= Fluocortolone-21-caproate)

0,25%

Fluorouracil

5%

fluprednide-21-acetate

0,1%

Fluticasone propionate

0,05%

Fomocaine HCl

4%

Foscarnet Sodium

2%

Framycetin sulfate

2%

Fusidic acid

2%

Gentamicin sulphate

0,2%

Reserve antibiotic!

Griseofulvin

5%

Halometason

0,05%

Urea

10-40%

Hexachlorophen

1-3%

Hydrargyrum sulf. rubr.

10%

obsolete! negative evaluation of mercury compounds!

hydrocortisone

1%

Hydrocortisone aceponate

0,127%

hydrocortisone 17-butyrate

0,1%

hydrocortisone 21-acetate

1%

Hydrocortisone buteprate

0,1%

hydrocortisone 21-butyrate

0,1%

Hydroxyquinoline sulfate

1%

Idoxuridine

0,2%

Isoconazole

1%

not used in dermatics!

Isoconazole Nitrate

1%

Isotretinoin

0,1%

Potassium iodide

35%

Ketoconazole

2%

Lidocaine HCl

5%

Liq. alum. acet.

10-20%

Liquor carbonis detergens

10%

(20% according to NRF)

meclocycline-5-sulfosalicylate

1,5%

Menthol

0,1-10%

Merbromine

2%

in Germany no longer used in dermatics!

Methylprednisolone

0,25%

Methylprednisolone aceponate

0,1%

methyl salicylate

4-50%

Metronidazole

2%

(3% according to NRF)

Miconazole Nitrate

2%

Lactic acid

5%

Miltefosine

6%

Mometason-17-(2-fuorat)

0,1%

Mupirocin-Calcium

2,15%

Naftifin-HCl

1%

Natamycin

2%

Sodium bituminosulfonate

10%

Sodium chloride

10%

Neomycin sulfate

0,5%

Benzyl nicotinate

0,3-10%

Nitrofurazone

0,2%

Nystatin

100 000 IU/g

Omoconazole nitrate

1%

in Germany there is no dermatological product with this active ingredient on the market anymore!

oxiconazole nitrate

1,15%

Oxytetracycline-HCl

3%

Peru Balsam

10%

allergenic! obsolete!

Pheniramine hydrogen maleate

1,25%

in Germany no longer used in dermatics!

Phenolum liquefactum

1%

must no longer be applied to the skin or oral mucosa!

Piperonyl butoxide

3%

pix betulinae

5%

pix juniperi

5%

pix lithanthracis

10%

Polidocanol

8%

polymyxin B

0,2%

Polyvidon Iodine

10%

Prednicarbate

0,25%

Prednisolone

0,25-0,5%

Prednisolone acetate

0,5%

Procaine HCl

2%

Pyrogallol

2%

Quinisocaine

0,5%

Resorcin

5%

negative benefit-risk assessment! should no longer be prescribed!

Salicylic acid

10%

Sulphur

10%

Selenium disulfide

2,5%

Sertaconazole Nitrate

2%

Silver nitrate

10%

Sorbic acid

0,1%

Sulfadiazine Silver

1%

Sulphisomidine

5%

negative benefit-risk assessment due to sensitization!

Tannin

20%

Terbinafine HCl

1%

Testosterone propionate

2%

Tetracaine HCl

0,5%

Tetracycline-HCl

3%

Thymol

2%

Tiabendazole

10%

Tioconazole

1%

Tobramycin

0,3%

Tolciclat

1%

Tolnaftat

1%

Tretinoin

0,1%

triamcinolone acetonide

0,1%

Trifluridine

2%

Tromantadine HCl

1%

Tyrothricin

0,1%

Undecylenic acid

2%

Vidarabin

3%

Zinc oxide

25%

Zinc undecylenate

10%

Active substance

Optimum stability (pH value)

Remarks

Aluminium chloride hexahydrate

2,3-3,5

Betamethasone dipropionate

4

light sensitive

betamethasone 17-valerate

3,5

first isomerisation, then hydrolysis of the ester

Chloramphenicol

7,4

in borate buffer

2-7

only 30 days stable at room temperature

Chlorhexidine digluconate

5-8

Optimum effect: pH 8

Clindamycin dihydrogen phosphate

3,5-6,5

Clioquinol (e.g. Vioform)

weakly acidic

sensitive to light and moisture

clobetasol-17-propionate

4-6

Hydrolysis

Clotrimazole

7-8

Hydrolysis at pH < 5

dexamethasone

3,5

side chains at alkaline pH; sensitive to oxidation

Dexpanthenol

3-7

Dithranol (e.g. cignoline)

weakly acidic

sensitive to oxidation: oxidation protection with salicylic acid required

Erythromycin

8,5

Decomposition at acidic pH values within a few hours

Ethacridine-lactate (e.g. Rivanol)

light sensitive

Gentamicin sulfate

2-14

in buffer solutions; optimum effect at pH 7.8

Urea

6,2

Add lactate buffer from the NRF

Hexachlorophen *

5-6

bactericidal; bacteriostatic at pH 8

Hydrocortisone

6-7

photostable in the presence of metal ions, oxygen and light

Hydrocortisone acetate

4,5

photostable in the presence of metal ions, oxygen and light; hydrolysis of the ester

Metronidazole

5

Nystatin

5-7

light-sensitive; aqueous solution can be kept in the refrigerator for 1 week

Oxytetracycline-HCl

2

Optimum effect: pH 5.5-6.5

Prednisolone

6-7

physically unstable: crystal formation in water-rich media; photostable: UV light (ring A)

Prednisolone acetate

4,5

Hydrolysis of the ester

Resorcin *

unstable when exposed to light and air; stabilizers in ointments are e.g. ascorbic acid and α-tocopherol

Tetracaine HCl

3-4-6

Tetracycline-HCl

Optimum effect: pH 6.1-6.6; in water-containing vehicles, can be kept in the refrigerator for 7 days

Tretinoin

5

unstable when exposed to light and air; antioxidant addition required; crystallinity

Triamcinolone acetonide

7

Ketal residue of the compound is cleavable by acids

Triclosan

5

effective in the range pH 4-8; bactericidal effective at pH 5 (optimum effect!); bacteriostatic effective at pH 8

vitamin A palmitate

4-6

more stable than acetate

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Last updated on: 29.10.2020