Q 2-20.
Does Topical Medicine Work at Distant Places?
Does topical medicine work only on the place where it was applied to?
Does Topical Medicine Work on the Whole Body?
A 2-20.
Many kinds of medicine pass well through the skin. There are many kinds of drugs, which are used in the form of lotion, ointment and cream. The drugs are absorbed through the skin and work systemically.
There are other types of medicine which are used as a tape. The medicine is coated on an adhesive tape. The tape is applied to the skin and the drug is absorbed through the skin.
Drug treatment with tape formulation keeps a stable blood concentration of the drug for 12-24 hours. The effect of medicine disappears soon after the tape is removed from the skin.
For example, many kinds of drugs are used clinically in the tape formulation.
They include nitrates and nitroglycerin for heart attack, bronchodilators for bronchial asthma, local anesthetic, anti-inflammatory analgesic, pain killer, and even sildenafil which is known under the brand name of Viagra.
Furthermore, other drugs are used as tape medication for the treatment of many diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, high blood pressure, allergic rhinitis, etc.
