Erythromycin/isotretinoin (trade name Isotrexin) is a

topical A topical medication is a medication that is applied to a particular place on or in the body. Most often topical medication means application to body surfaces such as the skin or mucous membranes to treat ailments via a large range of classes ...

gel with two active ingredients: erythromycin 2% w/w and

isotretinoin Isotretinoin, also known as 13-''cis''-retinoic acid and sold under the brand name Accutane among others, is a medication primarily used to treat severe acne. It is also used to prevent certain skin cancers ( squamous-cell carcinoma), and in t ...

0.05% w/w with a primary indication for the treatment of moderate acne vulgaris. Isotretinoin is a pharmaceutical derivative of

retinoic acid Retinoic acid (used simplified here for all-''trans''-retinoic acid) is a metabolite of vitamin A1 (all-''trans''-retinol) that mediates the functions of vitamin A1 required for growth and development. All-''trans''-retinoic acid is required in ...

(a metabolite of vitamin A). Its mechanism of action is believed to involve reduction in the amount of

sebum A sebaceous gland is a microscopic exocrine gland in the skin that opens into a hair follicle to secrete an oily or waxy matter, called sebum, which lubricates the hair and skin of mammals. In humans, sebaceous glands occur in the greatest nu ...

produced by

sebaceous gland A sebaceous gland is a microscopic exocrine gland in the skin that opens into a hair follicle to secrete an oily or waxy matter, called sebum, which lubricates the hair and skin of mammals. In humans, sebaceous glands occur in the greatest nu ...

s on the skin's surface. Erythromycin is a

bacteriostatic A bacteriostatic agent or bacteriostat, abbreviated Bstatic, is a biological or chemical agent that stops bacteria from reproducing, while not necessarily killing them otherwise. Depending on their application, bacteriostatic antibiotics, disinfect ...

macrolide The Macrolides are a class of natural products that consist of a large macrocyclic lactone ring to which one or more deoxy sugars, usually cladinose and desosamine, may be attached. The lactone rings are usually 14-, 15-, or 16-membered. Ma ...

antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections, including the inhibition of bacteria linked with acne, such ''

Cutibacterium acnes ''Cutibacterium acnes'' (formerly ''Propionibacterium acnes'') is the relatively slow-growing, typically aerotolerant anaerobic, gram-positive bacterium (rod) linked to the skin condition of acne; it can also cause chronic blepharitis and endopht ...

''. The mechanism of action is poorly understood.

Side effects

Erythromycin/isotretinoin may cause a number of

side effect In medicine, a side effect is an effect, whether therapeutic or adverse, that is secondary to the one intended; although the term is predominantly employed to describe adverse effects, it can also apply to beneficial, but unintended, consequence ...

s, ranging from very common to rare. Most side effects affect the skin and have only a local effect to the place of application. Some of the side effects are related to vitamin A toxicity.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Erythromycin isotretinoin Anti-acne preparations Combination drugs Isotretinoin