Prednicarbate: a review of its pharmacological properties and therapeutic use in the treatment of dermatological disorders.
Prednicarbate is a synthetic nonhalogenated moderate to high potency corticosteroid. It is rapidly metabolised during skin permeation to prednisolone. Prednicarbate is indicated for relief of inflammation and pruritus associated with corticosteroid-responsive dermatological disorders such as dermatitis (eczema) [including atopic dermatitis] and psoriasis and can be used in children and elderly patients. Large clinical trials conducted in patients with various dermatoses confirm the efficacy of the drug. Smaller trials, conducted in patients with dermatitis, show prednicarbate generally to have similar activity to comparator corticosteroids. Data concerning use of prednicarbate in psoriasis are more limited, although again the drug demonstrated similar efficacy to the corticosteroids with which it was compared. The tolerability of prednicarbate was generally good, although methods of recording adverse events were not clearly reported in many trials. The atrophogenic potential of prednicarbate appears to be low when no occlusion is used. However, atrophogenic effects increase with occlusion. Therefore, prednicarbate is a useful option for the treatment of corticosteroid-responsive dermatoses and appears to have low atrophogenic potential when used without occlusion.
Spencer
C M
CM
Adis International Limited, Auckland, New Zealand. demail@adis.co.nz
Wagstaff
A J
AJ