Effects of treatment with erythromycin 1.5 percent topical solution or clindamycin phosphate 1.0 percent topical solution on P. acnes counts and free fatty acid levels.
Twenty healthy subjects (7 men and 13 women) with average baseline P. acnes counts equal to or greater than 1.0 x 10(5) were treated twice a day for eleven days in a randomized, double-blind study with either erythromycin 1.5 percent topical solution or clindamycin phosphate 1.0 percent topical solution. P. acnes counts and free fatty acid (FFA) measurements were performed before treatment, and on Days 4 and 11 of treatment. Statistically significant reductions in P. acnes counts were produced in both groups over the course of the study. There were no statistically significant changes in FFA, free fatty acid/fatty ester (FFA/FE) ratios or triglyceride levels. With erythromycin there were greater reductions in FFA and FFA/FE ratios and greater increases in triglycerides than with the clindamycin group, but the differences between the treatment groups were not significant. No adverse reactions were reported.
D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000188:drug therapy; D000287:Administration, Topical; D002981:Clindamycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011425:Propionibacterium acnes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012867:Skin / Q000382:microbiology
D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D002981:Clindamycin; D004917:Erythromycin; C007084:clindamycin phosphate