Methylprednisolone Aceponate Research Articles

Allergic contact dermatitis in the beauty industry

Allergic contact dermatitis in the beauty industry is a common and growing problem in dermatology, due to both the annual increase in the popularity of existing beauty services and the emergence of new fashion trends. Cosmetic products in hairdressing, manicure, permanent makeup, eyelash extensions, tattooing and piercing contain a number of potent haptens, sensitization to which results in a classic delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction. The development of contact allergic reactions is important not only for consumers of these services, but also for hairdressers and beauty salon technicians themselves. Thus, hairdressers take first place in the incidence statistics of occupational contact dermatitis associated with allergens and haptens in hair dyes, products for bleaching, curling or straightening hair. In 65% of cases, allergic contact dermatitis to acrylates develops among manicurists within the first years of work. The basis of treatment for allergic contact dermatitis is external therapy using topical glucocorticosteroids. The article contains Russian and foreign literature data about the most common allergens in products used in hairdressing, permanent tattooing, eyelash extensions, manicure and piercing, on the prevalence and characteristics of allergic contact dermatitis in these areas of the beauty industry and our own clinical observations of the effectiveness of treatment of allergic contact dermatitis using Comfoderm K cream (methylprednisolone aceponate with ceramides in the base).

Topical corticosteroids in the treatment of acute sunburn: a systematic review

Background: Acute sunburn is a prevalent dermatological issue, particularly affecting individuals with fair skin types I-III. It is characterized by erythema, edema, and discomfort due to ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure. Topical corticosteroids are commonly used for their anti-inflammatory properties, but their efficacy in sunburn treatment is debated due to limited high-quality evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs). This study aims to assess the efficacy of topical corticosteroids in relieving symptoms and inflammation of sunburn. Methods: A systematic review was conducted by searching PubMed, Web of Science, ProQuest, Scopus, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) for studies published up to April 30, 2024. Keywords included combinations of terms related to corticosteroids, topical application, and sunburn. Studies were selected based on PRISMA 2020 guidelines, focusing on adult patients treated with topical corticosteroids compared to placebo. Data extraction and quality assessment were independently performed by two researchers using the Cochrane Collaboration’s Risk of Bias tool. Results: The review included six RCTs with a total of 339 participants, aged 18-68 years, conducted in Europe and the USA. Various topical corticosteroids were studied, including methylprednisolone aceponate, hydrocortisone 17-butyrate, and hydrocortisone-21-acetate. Treatment durations ranged from single applications to twice daily for seven days. The results demonstrated that prolonged treatment with topical corticosteroids significantly reduced sunburn symptoms such as erythema and pain. When applied for seven days, treated areas showed lower sunburn reaction scores and reduced inflammation compared to untreated areas. Early application of corticosteroids, particularly within 6 hours post-exposure, was more effective than later applications. Histological analyses supported these findings, showing improvements in epidermal thickness and reduced dermal inflammation in treated areas. Conclusion: Topical corticosteroids can effectively alleviate acute sunburn symptoms and aid skin recovery by targeting inflammatory pathways. Their efficacy is enhanced with prolonged and early application. Further research is needed to optimize treatment protocols and assess long-term effects to fully realize the therapeutic potential of corticosteroid therapy in managing acute sunburn.

Care and medical costs of urticaria in children in Germany : Drugs, medical and inpatient services

Data on the course of urticaria in children exist, but there is alack of sound data on patient management to ensure high-quality care. Retrospective secondary data analysis in the field of health care and epidemiology in children with urticaria based on routine data from aGerman health insurance company (DAK-Gesundheit). Data from insured persons under 18years of age who were treated as outpatients or inpatients with adiagnosis of urticaria (according to ICD-10 classification) in 2010-2015 were included. The control group consisted of children without acorresponding diagnosis, in order to clarify health economic and care-related differences after adjusting for age and gender. In 2015, 1904 (1.3%) of 151,248 insured minors had adiagnosis of urticaria. Of the children with urticaria, 70.9% visited at least one physician on an outpatient basis. Of these visits, 70.9% were made to apediatrician, 52.5% to ageneral practitioner and 33.0% to adermatologist; 11% were treated as inpatients. With atotal of 151,248 insured persons, 1904 of whom were diagnosed with urticaria, 72.9% of children and adolescents with versus 28.9% without urticaria were treated topically or systemically in 2015, including 10.5% of children with urticaria vs. 2.6% without urticaria received topical therapy and 70.0% with urticaria received systemic therapy vs. 27.5% without urticaria with systemic therapy. The most commonly used oral medications for urticaria were cetirizine (44.2%), prednisolone (9.8%), and dimetindene (2.0%) . Topical methylprednisolone aceponate (49.8%) was prescribed most frequently. The therapy costs for systemic drugs was € 24.00 per patient, while topical drugs cost € 1.58 per patient. The lack of guidelines for the standardization of treatment in children still leads to ambiguities and different treatment concepts among the specialist groups, which must be eliminated in order to enable more efficient therapies. The treatment of chronic urticaria in children and adolescents is mainly carried out by pediatricians, general practitioners and dermatologists. Systemic and topical medications as well as inpatient services are the most important cost factors.

Hand eczema: a common diagnosis in everyday practice

Hand eczema is one of the most common dermatoses at the doctor’s office during visits. There is some evidence that the prevalence rates reach almost 15% of the population. This disease greatly affects patients’ quality of life, work activities and other areas of life. The eczema pathogenesis is quite complex and is built up of genetic factors, environmental effects and various irritating agents. Disturbances of skin barrier also plays a significant role in the development of the disease. For example, patients with atopic dermatitis often suffer from hand eczema. Excessive hand hygiene (frequent washing and use of alcohol-based products) also increases the risk of developing this unpleasant dermatosis. Clinical features distinguish acute from chronic eczema. Acute eczema manifests as erythema, oedema, and vesicular rashes. The chronic course is characterized by skin thickening, peeling, erosion and cracks. Exacerbations occur 2 or more times per year. Hand eczema can be divided into irritant, which develops in response to contact with physical, mechanical, and chemical irritants, and allergic, which is provoked by contact with an allergen that induces type IV immune response. It is also common to distinguish protein contact dermatitis, which refers to a subtype of allergic eczema. Traditionally, moisturizers and topical corticosteroids are used for the treatment of hand eczema. Among topical corticosteroids, methylprednisolone aceponate (Advantan®) is especially worth noting. In addition to the pronounced therapeutic effect, the option to use it once a day is an undoubted advantage over many other drugs. This fact has a positive effect on therapy adherence. This topical corticosteroid is well tolerated and highly effective for the treatment of eczematous dermatitis, which is confirmed by many-year experience in using it.

Peculiarities of treatment of dermatitis in young children

The skin of children of the first years of life has a number of structural and physiological features that determine the development of inflammatory process and clinical picture of the disease. Inflammatory skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis are common in children in the first two years of life. Atopic dermatitis (AD) develops in individuals with hereditary predisposition, has a chronic recurrent course, is characterized by itching, typical morphology and localization of lesions. The prevalence of atopic dermatitis is up to 20%. Contact allergic dermatitis develops on the background of monovalent sensitization, the prevalence is about 16.5%. The clinical picture depends on the severity of the inflammatory reaction and the duration of the disease. The main goal of treatment of allergodermatoses is to stop the signs of inflammation, subjective symptoms. External therapy of inflammatory skin diseases consists in the prescription of topical glucocorticosteroids. When choosing the means of external therapy, it is necessary to take into account the age of the patient, the degree of severity of the inflammatory process, localization of lesions, pharmacokinetics of the active substance and other factors. The article describes clinical cases of treatment of atopic dermatitis, contact allergic dermatitis in patients of the first two years of life using methylprednisolone aceponate with ceramides in the form of cream, ointment. High efficacy and safety of topical corticosteroids in infants in combination with emollients has been shown to rapidly reduce the intensity of inflammation and subjective symptoms.

Cream versus ointment: Randomized single-blinded study on the adherence to treatment with topical methylprednisolone aceponate.

Overall adherence in the treatment of chronic dermatoses is poor. Textbooks state an adherence dependence on galenics. Prospective, randomized, parallel-grouped, single-blinded (investigator), monocentric clinical trial (phase IV) on the adherence to treatment of chronic mild to moderate hand eczema with topical methylprednisolone aceponate (MPA, Advantan®) in different vehicles. Primary objective was the assessment of the adherence depending on vehicle type in patients with chronic hand eczema. Secondary objective was improvement after a 4-week treatment period. Primary Endpoint Adherence is defined as the percentage of patients applying at least aimed daily dose. Prescribed daily dose was defined as the planned number of applications per day (1) * surface (measured) * aimed amount per application (mg/cm2 ). Truly applicated daily dose was evaluated as individual mean amount per dose * individual mean number of applications per day. Adherence was assumed, if truly applicated daily dose is at least 75% of the prescribed daily dose and the individual mean number of applications per day is at least 0.85. Secondary Endpoint Efficacy was measured by improvement of Hand Eczema Severity Index (HECSI) and Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) after a 4-week treatment period and in addition to Quality of Life in Hand Eczema Questionnaire (QOLHEQ) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) to assess pruritus. Number of participants randomized to each group 40, 80 total. Group 1 MPA-C: Methylprednisolone aceponate 0.1% cream and barrier repair emollient (Bepanthen® Sensiderm). Group 2 MPA-FO: Methylprednisolone aceponate 0.1% fatty ointment and barrier repair emollient (Bepanthen® Sensiderm). Adherence to treatment was compared via Fisher's exact test. Of the patients, 48% were adherent according to our definition. There was no significant difference between MPA-C (42.1%) and MPA-FO (54.1%; p = 0.36; group difference-12.0%, 95% CI-34.3%-11.5%). Generalized-linear-model-analysis of adherence to study treatment with factors emollient use, treatment, time and treatment-time interaction showed a parallel between adherence and amount of emollient use (odds ratio 1.74, p = 0.0038; 95% CI-1.22-2.52). Improvement of hand eczema was seen according to clinical scores without remarkable differences between the groups. No dependence of adherence on galenics of topical treatment of chronic hand eczema could be proved. Patients who use more emollient tend to be more adherent to the topical treatment.

Issues of pathogenesis and treatment of contact dermatitis in children of the first year of life

The article presents the pathogenetic features of dermatitis in children of the first year of life, features of the clinical picture and approaches to therapy. Contact dermatitis is a fairly common pathology in young children. Previously, it was believed that the clinical manifestations in this group of children were mainly associated with simple contact dermatitis (SCD), but in recent years, studies have shown that contact sensibilization is quite common, and currently the diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is not uncommon, but timely anti-inflammatory therapy prevents the formation of a focus of chronic inflammation. The prevalence of SCD and ACD in children of the first year of life, as well as the severity of skin inflammation, is associated with the existing structural features of the skin. Changes in the structures of the epidermis and dermis, characteristic of this age period, lead to easier skin damage when exposed to various irritants, both mechanical and chemical in nature, and the penetration of allergens into the skin. The peculiarity of the structure of blood vessels and increased vascular permeability is an important factor in the development and longer existence of local inflammation. The main condition for the effectiveness of treatment of dermatitis is the cessation of exposure to the substances that caused their development, and the main means of treating these conditions are topical glucocorticosteroids (TGCS). The article discusses cases of SCD and ACD in children of the first year of life, in which methylprednisolone aceponate in the form of 0.1% cream was used for external therapy. The choice in favor of this TGCS was made due to the absence of halogens in the methylprednisolone aceponate formula, the possibility of use from 4 months of age and in sensitive areas. During treatment, all patients had a good clinical effect and no side effects. The use of methylprednisolone aceponate in the form of 0.1% cream for SCD and ACD in children of the first year of life is a highly effective and safe remedy.

Comparison of Topical Treatment Preferences of Physicians in Dermatological Diseases

Objective: Regardless of their specialty, physicians frequently encounter dermatological conditions. We aimed to determine the topical medication choices of physicians for various dermatoses and to identify differences in preferences between dermatologists and non-dermatologist physicians.
 Methods: Using an online survey, physicians were asked to select three preferred topical antibiotics/antiseptics, antifungals, and corticosteroids when treating a pyoderma, dermatophytosis, or a dermatosis necessitating topical corticosteroid therapy. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences v.27.
 Results: Among 358 physicians, 24.0% were dermatologists, and 76.0% were non-dermatologist physicians. The mean age was 38.40, and the average duration of medical practice was 14.04 years. The most frequently chosen topical antibacterials were fusidic acid (74.3%) and mupirocin (65.9%); topical antifungals were isoconazole nitrate + diflucortolone valerate (56.4%), tioconazole (27.7%), and naftifine (25.1%); and topical corticosteroids were clobetasol propionate (38.5%), methylprednisolone aceponate (36.6%), and mometasone furoate (34.6%). Dermatologists used nitrofurazone and izokonazol nitrate + diflucortolone valerate less frequently compared to non-dermatologists (0% vs. 27.6% and 8.1% vs. 71.7%, respectively; p-values <0.001). Family physicians/general practitioners constituted the largest group selecting clobetasol propionate (28.3%).
 Conclusion: Physicians in our country predominantly choose fusidic acid and mupirocin as topical antibiotics, aligning with existing literature. However, nitrofurazone, causing contact dermatitis, and corticosteroid-containing antifungals with the potential for complications due to inappropriate use are frequently preferred by non-dermatologist physicians but not by dermatologists. The bold choice of clobetasol propionate, an ultrapotent topical corticosteroid, by family physicians/general practitioners is an important issue to address during medical education and post-graduation.

Prospects for the use of adequate external therapy for atopic/allergic dermatitis in children

The article focuses on the most frequent skin diseases in young children. Atopic/allergic dermatitis is one of the most common diseases in children. Approximately 45% of patients develop their first symptoms within the first 6 months after birth, 60% show the onset of atopic dermatitis during the first year of life and 80-85% at the age of 1 to 5 years. The article also speaks about the issue of allergic contact dermatitis (diaper rash in newborns). The disease represents non-specific inflammatory skin changes in the contact area in infants, the onset of which occurs mostly at the age of 1 to 15 months. The factors responsible for causing these diseases, the pathogenesis of their development and the potential of topical therapy mainly targeted at the reduction of clinical manifestations and frequency of exacerbations, improvement of the quality of life and prevention of infectious complications are considered. As an initial treatment, the authors consider a drug containing methylprednisolone aceponate with ceramides of domestic manufacturing. Its effectiveness and safety in the combination therapy of young children suffering from atopic/allergic and contact dermatitis may be evaluated in clinical practice. Clinical case reports of treatment of children with dermatitis of various etiologies aged from 4.5 months up to 3 years are presented. The outcomes of the use of Komfoderm K in children with AD demonstrated a significant decrease in the severity of inflammation, reduction of the skin lesion area and the intensity of symptoms, decreased need for additional intake of antihistamines and anti-inflammatory drugs, and the ability to achieve stable clinical remission.

Topical glucocorticoids іn dermatological practice: the problem of efficiency and safety

The problem of choosing the optimal glucocorticoids for topical use regularly arises for any physician involved in the treatment of dermatological diseases. When solving this problem, the doctor should take into account the nature, severity and localization of the pathological process, the patient's age, as well as the potency and the safety profile of the drug itself. One of the most common approaches to making the optimal choice of glucocorticoids for topical use, which is designed to reduce potential risks, involves administration the least active drugs at the beginning of the treatment, if they are ineffective, they switch to the use of more active drugs, and further the most active drugs. An obvious disadvantage of this approach is the duration of the procedure of the empirical selection of the drug, which can significantly impede treatment. The emergence of VI generation glucocorticoids, such as mometasone furoate, methylprednisolone aceponate and prednicarbate. The therapeutic potential of these drugs combines high activity and safety of use. It has changed the situation significantly and helped to solve the problem of the safe use of glucocorticoid drugs in pediatric and geriatric practice for the treatment of severe forms of dermatological diseases wich requires administration of the active glucocorticoids. The paper contains an overview of the main classification systems that are applied to glucocorticoids intended for use in dermatological practice, and a short analysis of literary data regarding the experience of the clinical use of VI generation glucocorticoids. The article also contains a retrospective overview of development of main approaches to improving the pharmacotherapeutic properties of topical glucocorticoids. Special attention is paid on the analysis of the influence of peculiarities of the chemical structure of drugs into pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic parameters. Keywords: corticosteroid-responsive dermatoses, mometasone furoate, methylprednisolone aceponate, prednicarbate.

Atopic dermatitis management with topical corticosteroids in children: own observations

Atopic dermatitis is the most common chronic inflammatory skin disease in children, that significantly affects quality of life. Clinical manifestations are genetically determined and caused by skin barrier dysfunction and development of immune reactions. Atopic dermatitis is characterized by early onset, recurrence, and presence of treatment resistant forms. It is important to prescribe treatment that controls the symptoms and reduces the risk of severe forms of this disease. Topical corticosteroids are the mainstay of atopic dermatitis management, although the prolonged treatment can lead to development of side effects. The treatment option, that has high efficacy and high profile of safety, is the basis for disease remission and overcoming corticosteroid phobia. Methylprednisolone aceponate meets all criteria for topical corticosteroids and has high efficacy and high profile of safety. It can be recommended for patients with atopic dermatitis from the age of 4 months. This paper shows up-to-date data on methylprednisolone aceponate, that confirm the optimized efficacy/safety profile and minimal local or systemic adverse effects. Recent studies demonstrated the efficacy of new Russian product – methylprednisolone aceponate (Komfoderm K).

Photosensitive dermatoses in paediatric practice

Photodermatoses represent a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by the development of pathological skin reaction to solar radiation. The development or intensification of inflammatory skin reaction after exposure to ultraviolet or electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to the human eye is a distinctive feature of all photosensitive photodermatoses. Although photodermatoses are less common in children than in adults, they are often associated with genetic or congenital metabolic disorders, and may also point to diffuse connective tissue diseases. Paediatric photodermatoses are often the result of genetic or congenital metabolic disorders, and may also indicate diffuse connective tissue diseases. The epidemiological studies have showed that the global prevalence of photodermatoses diagnosed with photopatch tests is above or equal to 5.7%. The authors presented a modern classification of photosensitive dermatoses according to the etiological factor. The article provides up-to-date information about photosensitive dermatoses, including statistical epidemiological data, pathogenesis features, and also emphasis is placed on the issues of the quality of life of children and their parents. The authors described the clinical presentations of the most common paediatric photosensitive dermatoses and the basic principles of their therapy. Among topical glucocorticosteroids, methylprednisolone aceponate has proven itself in the treatment of paediatric photodermatoses as it has not only a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect, but also is easy-to-use. The timely diagnosis of paediatric photosensitivity will help to minimize the development of complications associated with delayed treatment and insufficient prevention (photoprotection).

The effectiveness of external anti-inflammatory therapy for contact dermatitis in infants

Contact dermatitis in paediatric population is a fairly common pathology, which occurs where the skin comes into contact with irritating factors. It refers to steroid-sensitive dermatoses, therefore, the prescription of topical glucocorticosteroids in this pathology is a proved method of treatment. 0.1% methylprednisolone aceponate cream that has anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects is a medium-potency effective topical glucocorticosteroid. In this article, the authors presented their own experience and clinical cases of the effective use of 0.1% methylprednisolone aceponate cream in contact dermatitis in paediatric population. The first clinical case demonstrates the use of 0.1% methylprednisolone aceponate cream once a day as part of the combination therapy in a 5-month-old baby with moderate contact dermatitis caused by cosmetic substances (massage oil). The treatment resulted in a pronounced improvement and the achievement of remission on the 8th day from the start of therapy. The second clinical case demonstrated the effectiveness of 0.1% methylprednisolone aceponate cream used once daily as part of the combination therapy in a 6-month-old baby with mild diaper contact dermatitis. The use of barrier medications (5% dexpanthenol ointment) for 3 days showed no positive changes, due to which 0.1% methylprednisolone aceponate cream was prescribed. The treatment resulted in the relief of acute signs of inflammation in the buttocks and complete remission on the 5th day of the use of the cream. The third clinical case demonstrated the effectiveness of topical glucocorticosteroid in the form of 0.1% methylprednisolone aceponate cream used once daily as part of combination therapy in a 4-month-old baby with severe contact dermatitis, which developed after washing the perineum and feet with laundry soap. The pronounced positive changes in the skin improvement process were observed from the 5th day of the therapy, and a remission was achieved on the 10th day of the therapy, which was demonstrated as relief of acute inflammatory process in the buttocks and lower extremities, and disappearance of itching and scratching. Overall, the above clinical cases showed the high effectiveness of the use of the topical glucocorticosteroid in the form of 0.1% methylprednisolone aceponate cream as part of the combination therapy of contact dermatitis in pediatric population (at any severity level).

Granulomatous perioral dermatitis

Parents of patient S., born in 2018 applied with complaints of rashes on the skin of her daughter's face, accompanied by itching for a year. Topically used cream methylprednisolone aceponate and methylene blue. Objectively: the pathological process was widespread, localized on the skin of the face. On the skin of the face, congestive hyperemia, multiple miliary pustules, vesicles, already opened in places, covered with serous crusts, multiple pink papules were visualized periorally. When conducting a histological examination of the affected area of the skin of the face, characteristic signs for granulomatous dermatitis were revealed: in the follicles, foci of necrosis, macrophages with an admixture of neutrophilic leukocytes, single eosinophils and giant multinucleated cells. In the deep layers of the dermis, rough, unevenly thickened and in places multidirectional bundles of collagen fibers with signs of necrosis and the presence of giant cell granulomas, as well as numerous giant cell granulomas without necrosis, exocytosis of lymphocytes, which is characteristic of granulomatous dermatitis, were determined. The diagnosis was made: Perioral dermatitis, granulomatous form. We were prescribed a long-term oral administration of an antibiotic of the macrolide group, externally calcineurin blockers, emollients and ointments containing zinc. On the background of the ongoing treatment, the rash resolved. There was a stable remission.

Development and Validation of HPLC method for determination of Methylprednisolone aceponate in cream

Development and Validation of HPLC method for determination of Methylprednisolone aceponate in cream

The Effectiveness of Using DermoXen® Lenitiva for the Treatment of Women with Nonspecific Itching of the Intimate Area

Зуд определяется как неприятное кожное ощущение, связанное с немедленным желанием активизировать рефлекс чесания. В частности, зуд может возникать в области наружной генитальной зоны по нескольким причинам (бактериальная инфекция, грибковая инфекция, стресс, неадекватное интимное поведение, синтетическая одежда). Цель исследования заключалась в сравнении эффективности крема DermoXen® Lenitiva с кремом на основе метилпреднизолона ацепоната 0,1% для лечения зуда интимной зоны. Проведено независимое рандомизированное двойное слепое контролируемое исследование у 60 женщин с неспецифическим генитальным зудом и отрицательным вагинальным мазком на бактериальные и грибковые инфекции. Отмечено более выраженное снижение уровня зуда до 0,44 балла в группе использования DermoXen® Lenitiva при достижении 0,89 балла соответственно в группе использования крема метилпреднизолона ацепоната. Через 30 дней после лечения количество пациенток с легким зудом в группе кортикостероидной терапии почти в 2 раза превышало таковую в группе лечения кремом DermoXen® Lenitiva. Следует отметить статистически достоверный непрерывный рост уровня сексуального и генитального комфорта в обеих группах на протяжении всего периода лечения (p<0,05). Itching can be defined as an unpleasant skin sensation associated with an immediate urge to scratch. In particular, the external genital area may itch for several reasons (bacterial infection, fungal infection, stress, bad sexual behavior, synthetic intimate clothing). The purpose of the study was to compare the efficacy of DermoХen® Lenitiva cream versus cream-based methylprednisolone aceponate 0.1% in the treatment of vulvar pruritus. This was an independent, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial on 60 women with a specific genital pruritus with a negative vaginal smear for bacterial or fungal infection. There was a more pronounced reduction in itching to 0.44 points in the DermoXen® Lenitiva group, while reaching 0.89 points, respectively, in the methylprednisolone aceponate cream group. Four weeks after treatment, the number of patients with mild itching in the corticosteroid therapy group was almost 2 times higher than in the DermoXen® Lenitiva cream group. It should be noted a statistically significant continuous increase in the level of sexual and genital comfort in both groups throughout the entire period of treatment (p<0.05).

Fitting Pharmacodynamic Data to the Emax Model to Assess the Inherent Potency of Topical Corticosteroids.

The widespread use of topical corticosteroids (TCs) in dermatotherapy requires a consideration of their potency and benefit/risk ratios. Although there are a variety of topical corticosteroid products (TCPs) available on the market and their potencies are ranked using different classification systems, to our knowledge, no classification system to rank the inherent potencies of TC active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) currently exists. Most of the published classification systems for TCPs are based on randomized clinical comparative studies and/or vasoconstrictor assay (VCA) data. The objective was to apply the US FDA's VCA to classify the inherent potencies of several TCs using standardized doses to make appropriate comparisons of the relevant APIs in solutions of the same molar concentrations. Six TC APIs were assessed for their relative potencies using healthy human participants. The Emax model was used to fit skin blanching data following application of the respective TCs, and the parameters, Emax and ED50, were derived. Emax values were used as the metric to assess potency. Statistical analyses of the data revealed that the inherent potencies of fluticasone propionate, mometasone furoate, and hydrocortisone butyrate were similar. However, there was no significant difference between hydrocortisone butyrate and clobetasol propionate, while there was a significant difference between clobetasol propionate, fluticasone propionate, and mometasone furoate. Hence, the potency of hydrocortisone butyrate appears to overlap two potency classes. Furthermore, the potencies of betamethasone valerate and methylprednisolone aceponate were similar but lower than those of all of the other APIs. The application of the VCA to classify inherent potency provides a reliable method to establish a classification system for TCs. Inherent potency assessment of TCs provides information that will be useful when choosing an appropriate TC for the development of a TCP for a specific clinical indication.

Analysis of the list and availability of medicines used for the treatment of atopic dermatitis in Ukraine

The prevalence of atopic dermatitis (AD) is growing rapidly among the population, treatment protocols need to be reviewed, taking into account evidence-based medicine data and the introduction of new drugs and new forms in the country's market.
 The aim of this study was to analyse the pharmaceutical component of treatment protocols in Ukraine, to conduct a comparative analysis of the list of medicines registered on the pharmaceutical market on 2022 (also in comparison with 2016). To determine the socio-economic affordability of TCGS for the treatment of AD at the regional level based on the availability ratio.
 The objects of the study were topical glucocorticosteroids (TGCS) preparations according to the State Register of Medicines of Ukraine and the online resource «Apteka online». Analysis methods: information analysis, content analysis, marketing analysis, systematization and generalization.
 The study of domestic protocols and the British recommendations for the treatment of AD showed that TGCS with evidence-based effectiveness are prescribed as first-line drugs, but domestic documents for the treatment of AD from 2016 need to be revised, taking into account actual evidence-based data. The results of this study of the TGCS assortment showed that as of February 1, 2022, there were 13 INN TGCS for the treatment of AD, corresponding to 104 trade names (TN) on the Ukrainian market. In 2016–2022, the assortment of TGKS increased in terms of TN by 10.6%, while imports grew by 16.1%, which indicates a positive trend in the segment. It was revealed that, compared with 2016, there is a negative trend of reducing the number of domestic producers of TCGS by 18.1%. Consequently, the share of imported TGCS preparations is 62.5%, which contributes to the growth of treatment costs.
 An analysis of the assortment of TKGS according to the dosage form of the release shows that the main share among domestic drugs is ointments for, and for imported drugs – cream, but very small amounts in the form of lotions, emulsions. It was found that two medicines are low available: methylprednisolone aceponate, bemethasone, medicines have an average availability: mometasone furoate, bemethasone (lotion). It was revealed that the majority of domestically produced drugs are available to patients. It has been established that the range of TGCS in the treatment of AD is import-dependent, 5 INNs are not available in domestic production.
 It has been substantiated that pharmacist should be aware of new TGCS, the features and duration of their administration in order to ensure good pharmaceutical care for the effective treatment of AD.

Features of external therapy of allergic skin diseases in children

The development of inflammatory process in the skin has proven to be primarily associated with the immune system defects, in particular T-lymphocytes: the Th2 response predominates during the acute phase of the disease, when Th2 cells are stimulated with the subsequent hyperproduction of IgE; during the chronic phase, the Th2- shifts to Th1-immune response. At the same time, a significant amount of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IL-31 and IFN-γ move into this process. In addition, it is known that skin reactions can be induced not only by food allergens, but also by other allergens (house dust mites, Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxins, mold fungi). The prevalence of atopic dermatitis among the children’s population is up to 20%, while half of the children have skin lesions characterized by a severe long-term course, which violates their quality of life. The main goal of external therapy of dermatoses is to achieve control over subjective symptoms (especially skin itching), as well as regression of inflammatory manifestations with subsequent persistent remission of the allergic process. Local therapy of manifestations of atopic dermatitis is based on the adequate use of various external forms, as well as means in accordance with the inflammatory manifestations and localization of the inflammatory process. The article describes clinical cases of treatment of atopic dermatitis with various variants of its course using methylprednisolone aceponate cream with ceramides, emollient agents. It has been shown that the combined use of topical corticosteroids and emollients contributes to a rapid reduction of inflammation, dry skin and itching. The absence of toxic and side effects on this type of therapy in children with high treatment efficiency is emphasized.

IN SILICO STUDIES OF PREDNISOLONE ACETATE DERIVATIVES FOR THE TREATMENT OF DRY EYE DISEASE

An attempt was made to find a potential cure for the dry eye syndrome affecting millions of people around the globe eventually leading to inflammation, blurry vision, irritation, redness, and ocular pains. In this condition, the tears are unable to provide enough lubrication either due to the lack of adequate tears or generation of poor-quality tears. The pressing need to find a cure to this chronic disease led to the search for a potential anti-inflammatory drug with the help of molecular studies. Molecular docking studies were used to find the potential anti-inflammatory drug. The study used the glucocorticoid receptor in the eye (PDB Id: 6DXK) as our target protein and A HJ4 801 as our ligand for the binding studies. The CRESSET Flare software was used for the in-silico studies of 152 derivatives and the target glucocorticoid protein receptor. Further, ADMET screening was performed to evaluate parameters like lipophilicity, polarity, solubility, Lipinski rule, and bioavailability score. Swiss ADME, web-based software was used to perform these studies, and further strengthen our result. Out of 152 compounds that were studied for molecular docking, 18 compounds namely Deprodone propionate, Methylprednisolone aceponate, Prednisolone valerate acetate, Methylprednisolone hemisuccinate, and pred forte, etc. were found to possess a better score than prednisolone acetate. All the molecules were found to have molecular size (less than 500 Da), aqueous solubility (soluble, moderately soluble), lipophilicity scores (less than 5) that serve as a good candidate for ocular permeability. The toxicity studies also showed no ocular irritation or corrosion. The high binding affinity of the target glucocorticoid protein receptor with the ligands can be seen as a potential treatment for dry eye disease. It serves as the basis for introducing better compounds that act as an efficient antiinflammatory agent by inhibiting the glucocorticoid receptor and having a high binding affinity. The ADME studies showed significant bioavailability and permeability across the cornea. The top five molecules pursued properties necessary to be a good candidate for ocular absorption. Screening more compounds from various databases and performing clinical trials can be an effective strategy to further validate the results eventually leading to the discovery of less toxic and efficacious compounds for curing dry eye syndrome.