Wilkinson’s ointment in the treatment of scabiesDear Colleagues, scabies, a type of mite belonging to the Sarcoptes family, lays eggs when it penetrates beneath the skin; it reproduces rapidly by digging holes and tunnels under the skin. After depositing its eggs in the epidermis, the uppermost layer of the skin, the adult female mite can live in human skin for the rest of its life.
More commonly seen during autumn and winter, scabies can be transmitted from person to person through prolonged contact or via shared items such as bed sheets and clothing. The disease is not contracted through brief contacts like handshakes.
Itching appears 20–30 days after transmission. The severity of the itching, its widespread nature, its aggravation at night, and its familial pattern are very characteristic. The web spaces between fingers, elbows, abdomen, buttocks, genitals, and breasts are the most commonly affected areas. Intense scratch marks and red burrows dug by a few mites are observed.
Treatment requires meticulous application. What is essential is consulting a physician in the early stages and bringing the disease under control before it spreads to the surroundings and causes other complications. Medications that kill mites by being applied to the skin are used. Oral medications are also available. Through disinfection of transmission sources, the mites, which cannot survive long outside the human host, are also eradicated. Laundry and bed linens can be boiled; items that cannot be boiled can be ironed with a hot iron or stored in plastic bags isolated from humans for one week.
Scabies, which spreads very quickly and can even lead to outbreaks, is easily treatable and not a disease to be feared.
However, when left untreated, it leads to serious problems and outbreaks. Scabies, which is transmitted from person to person through contact in crowded environments, is not transmitted from animals such as cats and dogs to humans, contrary to popular belief.
Today, the treatment of scabies is straightforward, and consulting a dermatologist at an early stage to plan treatment is of vital importance for public health.
Formula:
WILKINSON OINTMENT T.K. – POMMADE WILKINSON
Rp.
Birch tar
Sublimed sulfur / aa 10.00 g
Calcium carbonate
Yellow petrolatum
Potash soap / aa 20.00 g
Substances in the formula:
Birch tar- Pix betulae- Pix betulina [DAB6]:
Silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) is a white-barked plant of European origin belonging to the birch family (Betulaceae). This tree, which can grow up to 30 meters tall, is common in Europe. In Turkey, it grows in Northern and Eastern Anatolia. A tar known as Pix betulae is obtained by the dry distillation of the plant’s bark and branches. This drug is used as an antiseptic in skin diseases. It is a reddish-brown to blackish-brown, strongly scented, pungent, dense liquid that is semi-transparent when spread in a thin layer. It is soluble in absolute alcohol, chloroform, ether, carbon disulfide, and acetone.
Sublimed sulfur- precipitated sulfur- Azufre- Sulfur depuratum [AB-DDR]:
Precipitated sulfur is a pale yellow, very fine, odorless, amorphous or microcrystalline powder. Practically insoluble in water; slowly soluble in carbon disulfide at a 1:2 ratio (dissolution is often incomplete); soluble in olive oil at a 1:100 ratio; very slightly soluble in alcohol. Sublimed sulfur is a yellow, fine, crystalline powder with a slight odor. Practically insoluble in water and alcohol; sparingly soluble in olive oil.
Sulfur exhibits keratolytic, mild antiseptic, mild antifungal, and antiparasitic actions. Although more convenient and effective medications are available, it is widely used in the treatment of acne, dandruff, seborrheic conditions, scabies, and superficial fungal infections. Precipitated sulfur combined with lead acetate is used to darken greying hair. Sulfur was also historically used as a laxative with mild irritant action. Sulfur is also utilized in homeopathic medicine.
Calcium carbonate- Calcium carbonate [BP; INCI; NF; P.Cx.79; USP]- Calciumcarbonat [ABDATA-SK; ASK; IUPAC; KVO-EU; Ph.Eur.]- Creta preparata- Crai preparée:
Calcium carbonate is a white, odorless crystalline powder. Practically insoluble in water and glycerin. Its solubility in water increases in the presence of carbon dioxide or ammonium salts; practically insoluble in alcohol; dissolves with effervescence in acetic acid, hydrochloric acid, and nitric acid.
Calcium carbonate is a calcium salt. Calcium is the fifth most abundant element in the body.
Yellow petrolatum- Yellow soft paraffin- Vaselin, gelbes [PH8; Ph.Eur.]- Vaselinum flavum- Paraffin, soft, yellow [BP; P.Cx.79]:
It is semi-solid, yellowish in color, with a melting point of 38-60 0C. Insoluble in water. Soluble in hot alcohol, acetone, and glycerin. It is used as an ointment base.
Potash soap- Sapo kalinus- Savon potassique:
Also known as soft soap, it can be summarized as a soft, dark-colored soap made with potash. It is formed by the saponification of a vegetable or animal fat with potassium hydroxide solution.
43 g of linseed oil and 58 g of potassium hydroxide solution (15% potassium hydroxide solution) are mixed in a porcelain or tinned vessel over a water bath and heated to 700C, after which 5 g of alcohol is added. Heating is continued with constant stirring until a sample taken dissolves clearly in water and alcohol. Once saponification is verified to be complete, its weight is adjusted to 100 g with water or reduced to 100 g by evaporation.
Preparation of the formula:
Sulfur is thoroughly triturated in a mortar and mixed with calcium carbonate. In an evaporating dish over a hot water bath, yellow petrolatum and potash soap are melted, and birch tar is added. This homogenized mixture is added to the powder mixture in the mortar to obtain a uniform mixture.
Wishing you a great week…
References:
1- Medical Formulas – Prof. Dr. Kasım Cemal Güven
2- Rx MediaPharma® 2019 Interactive Drug Information Source
3- Pharmaceutical Technology I – Prof. Dr. Enver İzgü
Specialist Pharmacist Ahmet Nezihi Pekcan
Pekcan Pharmacy – Konya
[email protected]
Tel: (332) 3520657
http://www.majistralformul.com/
