Skinoren cream

Pharmaceutical name: Azelaic acid

Skinoren attacks the bacteria, Propionibacterium acnes, that play an essential part in causing acne. Skinoren also reduces growth of the keratin surface cells that block the pores of the skin to cause blackheads and whiteheads.

Therapeutic actions: The antimicrobial property of azelaic acid and a direct influence on follicular hyperkeratosis are assumed to be the basis for the therapeutic efficacy of Skinoren Acne Cream in acne.
Azelaic acid exerts an antibacterial effect on Propionibacterium acnes and causes a significant reduction of the colonisation density of Propionibacterium acnes. A significant reduction of the fraction of free fatty acids in the skin surface lipids also occurs.
In animal experiments azelaic acid inhibits the proliferation of cultivated keratinocytes (suppression of DNA synthesis) and accelerates the comedolysis of tetradecane-induced comedones. After treatment with Skinoren Acne Cream ultrastructural changes in particular of the keratohyaline granules and of filaggrin, an important factor in keratinisation occurred. These findings suggest that, under clinical conditions, Skinoren Acne Cream affects the keratinocytes and the pattern of keratinisation.
The amount of azelaic acid recovered in the viable epidermis and the corium increased with the time of exposure and was approximately 9,5% of the applied dose after 24 hours. Following topical application of 1 g azelaic acid (5 g Skinoren Acne Cream) to human volunteers 2,2% (+ 0,7%) of the dose was excreted as unchanged substance in the urine within 72 hours.