Hydrocortisone Butyrate

Indications

Eczema

Hydrocortisone Butyrate is a topical corticosteroid. It's used to relieve the inflammation and itching that come with corticosteroid-responsive dermatoses in adults. It is also used on the skin to treat mild to moderate atopic dermatitis in children and adolescents from 3 months to 18 years of age.

⚠️ Always consult a registered physician before taking any medicine.

Pharmacology

Topical corticosteroids like hydrocortisone butyrate reduce inflammation and itching, and they narrow the blood vessels. They are thought to work by inducing a group of proteins that block phospholipase A2, known together as lipocortins. These proteins are believed to control how the body makes strong inflammatory mediators such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes. They do this by stopping the release of arachidonic acid, the common precursor of both. Arachidonic acid is released from membrane phospholipids by phospholipase A2.

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy: No adequate and well-controlled studies have been done in pregnant women. So Hydrocortisone Butyrate should be used in pregnancy only if the possible benefit justifies the possible risk to the fetus. Corticosteroids given systemically at relatively low doses have been shown to be teratogenic in laboratory animals, and some corticosteroids have also been shown to be teratogenic in laboratory animals after application to the skin.

Lactation: It is not known whether topical corticosteroids can be absorbed into the body in large enough amounts to appear in breast milk in detectable quantities. Corticosteroids given systemically are secreted into breast milk, but not in quantities likely to harm the infant. Even so, caution should be exercised when a topical corticosteroid is given to a nursing woman.

⚠️ Talk to your doctor before taking any medicine during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

Dosage Reference

⚠️ Reference ranges from official sources only. Consult your doctor for personalized dosing.

Adults: For adults with corticosteroid-responsive dermatoses, apply a thin film of hydrocortisone butyrate to the affected skin two or three times a day, depending on how severe the condition is, and rub it in gently. For atopic dermatitis in patients aged 3 months to 18 years, apply a thin film to the affected skin two times a day and rub it in gently. Don't apply hydrocortisone butyrate in the diaper area unless a physician has directed it. Stop the treatment once the condition is under control. If there is no improvement within 2 weeks, the diagnosis may need to be reassessed. Before prescribing for more than 2 weeks, the doctor should weigh any extra benefit of extending treatment to 4 weeks against the risk of HPA axis suppression and local adverse events. The safety and efficacy of hydrocortisone butyrate have not been established beyond 4 weeks of use. Don't use hydrocortisone butyrate with occlusive dressings unless a physician has directed it. Avoid use in the diaper area, because diapers or plastic pants may act as occlusive dressings. Pediatric use: Safety and efficacy in pediatric patients below 3 months of age have not been established. Geriatric use: Safety and efficacy in geriatric patients over 65 years of age have not been established.