💠 Podophyllin Resin Solution 20%
🔹 1. Prescription / Indication:
Podophyllin resin 20% solution is a prescription-only topical cytotoxic agent used for:
- External genital warts (Condyloma acuminata)
- Verruca vulgaris (common warts)
- Plantar warts
- Occasionally for anal warts (under medical supervision)
🔸 Not used for oral, vaginal, cervical, urethral, or bleeding warts.
🔹 2. Description:
- Form: Topical solution
- Appearance: Brownish or yellow liquid with a characteristic odor
- Base: Typically alcohol or tincture of benzoin
- Strength: Contains 20% purified Podophyllin resin
- Route: External use only under direct medical supervision
🔹 3. Composition:
| Ingredient | Concentration | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Podophyllin Resin | 20% | Cytotoxic, antimitotic |
| Benzoin tincture / Alcohol | q.s. | Solvent and fixative |
🔹 4. Advantages:
- Destroys wart tissue by arresting cell division (mitosis)
- Rapid action in reducing wart size and number
- Non-invasive and avoids surgery for many patients
- Especially useful for genital and perianal warts
🔹 5. Nature / Drug Class:
- Class: Cytotoxic agent / antimitotic
- Mechanism: Arrests mitosis in metaphase → causes necrosis of wart tissue
🔹 6. Common Packaging:
- Amber-colored glass vials (to protect from light)
- Sizes: Usually 10 mL or 15 mL bottles
- Labeled with “For external use only” and “To be applied by healthcare professional”
🔹 7. Storage:
- Store at cool room temperature (<25°C)
- Protect from light and heat
- Keep tightly closed in original container
- Highly flammable due to alcohol content
- Keep out of reach of children
🔹 8. Patient Advice / Counseling:
⚠️ Application must be done by a healthcare professional only.
- Apply only to the affected wart area, avoiding surrounding healthy skin
- After application: allow it to dry, then wash off in 1–4 hours (as per instruction)
- Avoid self-application, especially on mucosal surfaces
- Can cause pain, irritation, or ulceration if overapplied
- Multiple treatments (weekly or biweekly) may be required
- Avoid sexual contact while lesions are present
- Women should not apply during pregnancy – contraindicated
- Use protective measures (e.g., petroleum jelly) on nearby healthy skin
🔹 9. Purpose / Clinical Use:
- Primarily used in dermatology and sexual health clinics for the removal of:
- Genital warts
- Resistant common warts
- Plantar warts in thickened skin
- Alternative to cryotherapy, salicylic acid, or imiquimod in specific cases