General information
Aknefug® is a group of drugs consisting of three different drugs (erythromycin, isotretinoin and benzoyl peroxide) that are used to treat the skin disease acne. There is also a drug known under the trade name Aknefuq®, which is mainly sold for local application, in the form of ointments or pastes.
Acne Fug EL®
Aknefug-EL® is a solution for application on the skin, it is used for inflammatory forms of acne. The antibiotic erythromycin fights various bacteria that can be involved in the development of inflammatory acne. It belongs to the group of narrow-spectrum antibiotics, which means that it can only act against a selected group of pathogens and has no effect on other bacteria.
The spectrum of action, i.e. the range of bacteria that react to erythromycin, is comparable to that of penicillins. The advantage of erythromycin is that it is a good treatment alternative especially for patients with penicillin hypersensitivity (allergy). In principle, it can be used not only for acne therapy, but especially for the treatment of middle ear inflammation, sinusitis and various respiratory tract infections. In general, this antibiotic is very well tolerated, but some patients report side effects such as mild gastrointestinal complaints, tinnitus and/or temporary hearing loss after systemic administration. As a solution on the skin, the following side effects should be mentioned: Contact allergy, dryness, redness, burning, itching of the skin.
Acne Fug ISO®
Isotretinoin is a derivative of retinoic acid, similar to vitamin A, and has been approved for the treatment of acne since 1982. This Aknefuq® drug reduces the size of the sebaceous glands of the skin, resulting in a normalization of the production rate of the glands. Inflammatory acne can be healed more effectively with the administration of isotretinoin, but a relapse (recurrence) after discontinuing the drug is not uncommon.
Approximately 60% of those treated need a new therapy. Since isotretinoin therapy has a wide range of side effects, the use of this drug is only recommended in severe cases of illness. Very often, the treated patients report small inflammations of the skin, scaling, rashes and severe itching after taking the drug.
In addition, nosebleeds, inflammation of the mucous membranes and even hair loss occur in many cases. Oral administration of this drug (for example in tablet form) can lead to disturbances in proper liver function and fat metabolism. In very rare cases, the treated patients suffer from inflammation of the liver (hepatitis) as a result of taking isotretinoin.
In addition, inflammation of the eyelid margins and conjunctiva is very common, and the affected patients suffer from increasing dryness and irritation of the eyes. In extremely rare cases, visual disturbances in the form of ametropia, night blindness, corneal clouding and/or colour blindness develop under the drug administration. Due to the comparatively extensive side effects, the use of isotretinoin should be strictly weighed up. This drug must not be used in patients suffering from a lipid metabolism disorder (hyperlipoproteinemia), skin diseases or increased intraocular pressure.