Additional skin

Question 1

Benzyl alcohol

Answer 1

Appears to block the airways of lice, suffocating them. It may have some ovicidal activity.

Headlice

Question 2

Benzyl benzoate

Answer 2

Benzyl benzoate exerts toxic effects on the nervous system of the parasite, resulting in its death. It is also toxic to mite ova, though its exact mechanism of action is unknown. In vitro, benzyl benzoate has been found to kill the Sarcoptes mite within 5 minutes.

Scabies

Question 3

Crotamiton

Answer 3

scabies

Question 4

Dimeticone

Answer 4

Headlice

Question 5

Isopropyl myristate

Answer 5

Appears to block the airways of lice, immobilising them, and physically coats lice, resulting in dehydration and death. It is not ovicidal.

Headlice

Question 6

Malathion

Answer 6

Organophosphate pediculicide; irreversible cholinesterase inhibitor.

lice

Question 7

Permethrin

Answer 7

Pyrethroid; acts on nerve cell membranes of lice and presumably mites, resulting in delayed repolarisation and subsequent paralysis.

Question 8

Pyrethrins with piperonyl butoxide

Answer 8

Pyrethrins disrupt nerve impulse transmission in lice, resulting in paralysis and death.

Piperonyl butoxide has little or no insecticidal activity, but potentiates pyrethrin activity by inhibiting its metabolism in arthropods.

Question 9

Imiquimod

Answer 9

Enhances immune response to viral infections and tumours by inducing immune system cells as well as interferon and other cytokines.

Question 10

Podophyllotoxin

Answer 10

Major active constituent of podophyllum resin; binds to tubulin, arresting mitosis in metaphase and leading to epithelial cell death.

Question 11

Podophyllum resin/Podphyllin

Answer 11

Binds to tubulin, arresting mitosis in metaphase and leading to epithelial cell death.

Question 12

5- Aminolevulinic acid

Answer 12

5‑Aminolevulinic acid is a photosensitising agent used in photodynamic therapy. It is activated by a specific red light to produce reactive singlet oxygen, which selectively destroys tumour cells.

Question 13

Diclofenac

Answer 13

NSAID

The exact mechanism of how diclofenac works to treat Actinic Keratosis is not fully understood, but it is known to reduce prostaglandin synthesis. Sun damage and AKs are linked with raised prostaglandins in exposed skin

Question 14

Fluorouracil

Answer 14

Antimetabolite

Pyrimidine antimetabolite which, following intracellular conversion to active metabolites, interferes with DNA and RNA synthesis.

Question 15

Methyl aminolevulinate

Answer 15

Methyl aminolevulinate is a photosensitising agent used in photodynamic therapy. It is activated by light (either a specific red light or natural daylight) to produce reactive singlet oxygen, which selectively destroys tumour cells.

Question 16

Finasteride

Answer 16

Inhibits 5‑alpha-reductase type 2 blocking the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (an androgen associated with androgenetic alopecia).

Question 17

Minoxidil

Answer 17

Mechanism of action is unknown but is independent of vasodilation; duration of anagen (hair growth portion of hair life cycle) is increased and miniaturised follicles are enlarged.

Question 18

Brimonidine

Answer 18

Alpha2 agonist which causes cutaneous vasoconstriction.

Question 19

Ivermectin

Answer 19

Exact mode of action is unknown. Ivermectin is an antiparasitic agent (may be active against Demodex folliculorum mites which may trigger rosacea) and is thought to have anti-inflammatory effects.

Question 20

Metronidazole

Answer 20

Nitroimidazole

Metronidazole reduces inflammation and kills or prevents bacteria growth on the skin