Essential Guide azelaic acid

Applications / Anti-rosacea

FUNCTIONALITY PRODUCTS FOR TREATMENT OF ROSACEA

COSMETIC FUNCTIONALITY

MEDICAL DEVICE FUNCTIONALITY

PHARMACEUTICAL FUNCTIONALITY

AZELAIC ACID

++

++

+

BRIMODINE

-

-

+

METRONIDAZOLE

-

-

+

α -HYDROXY ACIDS

+

+

+/-

ORAL ANTIBIOTICS

-

-

+/-

ISOTRETINOIN

-

-

++

ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES - Legend: (++ Strongly recommended / Very suitable) (+ Limited recommended / Suitable) (+/- Limited allowed / Limited suitable) (- Forbidden) + +/-

ADVERSE EFFECTS PRODUCTS FOR TREATMENT OF ROSACEA

CMR PROPERTIES

SKIN IRRITATION

SIDE EFFECTS EXFOLIATION

PHOTO ACTIVITY

CYTOTOXI- CITY

AZELAIC ACID

-

+

-

+

-

-

BRIMODINE &

+

+

+

-

-

+

METRONIDAZOLE

+

+

+

-

-

+

α -HYDROXY ACIDS

-

+

-

++

+

-

ORAL ANTIBIOTICS

++

++

++

-

+

++

ISOTRETINOIN

++

++

++

-

++

++

ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES

+/-

+/-

+/-

+/-

-

+/-

Legend: (++ Very strong effects) (+ Noticable effects) (+/- Hardly noticable) (- Not noticable)

2.2.2 General ingredient characteristics

Azelaic acid Azelaic acid has been demonstrated to be effective for the treatment of rosacea. It is available as a 20% cream or a 15% hydrogel. It reduces inflammatory lesions and erythema in rosacea patients and also inhibits neutrophilic ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species). In the neutrophil system azelaic acid inhibits the ROS formation in a dose-dependent manner, markedly decreasing the number of free radicals. In the xanthine-xanthine oxidase system, none of the ROS generated was decreased by any dose of azelaic acid, indicating that azelaic acid does not scavenge generated ROS, but rather inhibits cell metabolism, possibly by decreasing enzyma- tic activity within the cell membrane. Azelaic acid is probably the only non-pharmaceutical ingredient that has been demonstrated to exhibit good activity for the treatment of rosacea, without side effects.

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