Fluocinolone Acetonide

•   Fluocinolone Acetonide ointment is indicated for the relief of the inflammatory and pruritic manifestations of corticosteroid-responsive dermatoses.

•   Fluocinolone Acetonide ointment is generally applied to the affected area as a thin film three or four times daily depending on the severity of the condition. In the hairy sites, the hair should be parted to allow direct contact with the lesion. Occlusive dressings may be used for the management of psoriasis or recalcitrant conditions. Some plastic films may be flammable and due care should be exercised in their use. Similarly, caution should be employed when such films are used on children or left in their proximity, to avoid the possibility of accidental suffocation. If an infection develops, the use of occlusive dressings should be discontinued and appropriate antimicrobial therapy instituted.

•   The following local adverse reactions are reported infrequently with topical corticosteroids, but may occur more frequently with the use of occlusive dressings. These reactions are listed in an approximate decreasing order of occurrence: burning, itching, irritation, dryness, folliculitis, hypertrichosis, acneiform eruptions, hypopigmentation, perioral dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, maceration of the skin, secondary infection, skin atrophy, striae, and miliaria.

Fluocinolone Acetonide Ointment 0.025% is intended for topical administration. The active component is the corticosteroid Fluocinolone Acetonide USP (Pregna-1,4-diene-3,20-dione, 6,9-difluoro-11,21-dihydroxy-16,17-[(1-methylethylidene)bis(oxy)]-, (6α,11β,16α)-. It has an empirical formula of

C₂₄H₃₀F₂O₆ and a molecular weight of 452.49 (CAS Registry Number 67-73-2).

Each gram of the ointment contains 0.25 mg Fluocinolone Acetonide in a base containing White Petrolatum.

Topical corticosteroids share anti-inflammatory, antipruritic and vasoconstrictive actions. The mechanism of anti-inflammatory activity of the topical corticosteroids is unclear. Various laboratory methods, including vasoconstrictor assays, are used to compare and predict potencies and/or clinical efficacies of the topical corticosteroids. There is some evidence to suggest that a recognizable correlation exists between vasoconstrictor potency and therapeutic efficacy in man.