Biomaterial Database

Low concentration dithranol and coal tar (Psorin) in psoriasis: a comparison with alcoholic coal tar extract and allantoin (Alphosyl). 1989

C I Harrington

Psoriasis is difficult to manage in general practice, mainly because the standard treatments produce side effects, or are ineffective in both the short and long term. In recent years, the main topical therapies have included extracts of coal tar or dithranol. In a six-week within-patient trial, 23 patients applied two different treatments to the left and right halves of their bodies. A new preparation (Psorin, Thames Laboratories), containing relatively low concentrations of dithranol and crude coal tar, was significantly more effective and more acceptable than a refined alcoholic extract of coal tar with allantoin (Alphosyl, Stafford Miller Ltd).

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D011565	Psoriasis	A common genetically determined, chronic, inflammatory skin disease characterized by rounded erythematous, dry, scaling patches. The lesions have a predilection for nails, scalp, genitalia, extensor surfaces, and the lumbosacral region. Accelerated epidermopoiesis is considered to be the fundamental pathologic feature in psoriasis.	Palmoplantaris Pustulosis,Pustular Psoriasis of Palms and Soles,Pustulosis Palmaris et Plantaris,Pustulosis of Palms and Soles,Psoriases
D011897	Random Allocation	A process involving chance used in therapeutic trials or other research endeavor for allocating experimental subjects, human or animal, between treatment and control groups, or among treatment groups. It may also apply to experiments on inanimate objects.	Randomization,Allocation, Random
D003033	Coal Tar	A by-product of the destructive distillation of coal used as a topical antieczematic. It is an antipruritic and keratoplastic agent used also in the treatment of psoriasis and other skin conditions. Occupational exposure to soots, tars, and certain mineral oils is known to be carcinogenic according to the Fourth Annual Report on Carcinogens (NTP 85-002, 1985) (Merck Index, 11th ed).	Clinitar,Estar,Tar, Coal
D003879	Dermatologic Agents	Drugs used to treat or prevent skin disorders or for the routine care of skin.	Agent, Dermatologic,Agent, Dermatological,Agents, Dermatologic,Dermatologic Agent,Dermatological Agents,Agents, Dermatological,Dermatological Agent
D004338	Drug Combinations	Single preparations containing two or more active agents, for the purpose of their concurrent administration as a fixed dose mixture.	Drug Combination,Combination, Drug,Combinations, Drug
D004341	Drug Evaluation	Any process by which toxicity, metabolism, absorption, elimination, preferred route of administration, safe dosage range, etc., for a drug or group of drugs is determined through clinical assessment in humans or veterinary animals.	Evaluation Studies, Drug,Drug Evaluation Studies,Drug Evaluation Study,Drug Evaluations,Evaluation Study, Drug,Evaluation, Drug,Evaluations, Drug,Studies, Drug Evaluation,Study, Drug Evaluation
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man