Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors.
Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker.
Coal tar
| Clinical data | |
|---|---|
| Trade names | Balnetar, Cutar, others |
| Other names | liquor carbonis detergens (LCD) liquor picis carbonis (LPC)[1] |
| AHFS/Drugs.com | Multum Consumer Information |
| Routes of administration | Topical |
| ATC code | |
| Legal status | |
| Legal status |
|
| Identifiers | |
| CAS Number | |
| ChemSpider |
|
| UNII | |
| CompTox Dashboard (EPA) | |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.029.417 |
Coal tar is a thick dark liquid which is a by-product of the production of coke and coal gas from coal.[2][3] It is a type of creosote. It has both medical and industrial uses.[2][4] Medicinally it is a topical medication applied to skin to treat psoriasis and seborrheic dermatitis (dandruff).[5] It may be used in combination with ultraviolet light therapy.[5] Industrially it is a railroad tie preservative and used in the surfacing of roads.[6] Coal tar was listed as a known human carcinogen in the first Report on Carcinogens from the U.S. Federal Government, issued in 1980.[7]
Coal tar was discovered circa 1665 and used for medical purposes as early as the 1800s.[6][8] Circa 1850, the discovery that it could be used as the main raw material for the synthesis of dyes engendered an entire industry.[9] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.[10] Coal tar is available as a generic medication and over the counter.[4]
Side effects include skin irritation, sun sensitivity, allergic reactions, and skin discoloration.[5] It is unclear if use during pregnancy is safe for the baby and use during breastfeeding is not typically recommended.[11] The exact mechanism of action is unknown.[12] It is a complex mixture of phenols, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and heterocyclic compounds.[2] It demonstrates antifungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-itch, and antiparasitic properties.[12]
- ^ Berenblum I (September 1948). "Liquor picis carbonis; a carcinogenic agent". British Medical Journal. 2 (4577): 601. doi:10.1136/bmj.2.4577.601. PMC 2091540. PMID 18882998.
- ^ a b c "Background and Environmental Exposures to Creosote in the United States" (PDF). cdc.gov. September 2002. p. 19. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 January 2017. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
- ^ Vallee Y (1998). Gas Phase Reactions in Organic Synthesis. CRC Press. p. 107. ISBN 9789056990817.
- ^ a b Hamilton R (2015). Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia 2015 Deluxe Lab-Coat Edition. Jones & Bartlett Learning. p. X. ISBN 9781284057560.
- ^ a b c World Health Organization (2009). Stuart MC, Kouimtzi M, Hill SR (eds.). WHO Model Formulary 2008. World Health Organization. p. 308. hdl:10665/44053. ISBN 9789241547659.
- ^ a b Hornbostel C (1991). Construction Materials: Types, Uses and Applications. John Wiley & Sons. p. 864. ISBN 9780471851455. Archived from the original on 2017-09-18.
- ^ First Annual Report on Carcinogens. National Technical Reports Library. 1980.
- ^ Sneader W (2005). Drug Discovery: A History. John Wiley & Sons. p. 356. ISBN 9780471899792. Archived from the original on 2017-09-18.
- ^ "History The Early Years (1863–1881)". Bayer AG. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
- ^ World Health Organization (2019). World Health Organization model list of essential medicines: 21st list 2019. Geneva: World Health Organization. hdl:10665/325771. WHO/MVP/EMP/IAU/2019.06. License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.
- ^ "Coal Tar use while Breastfeeding | Drugs.com". www.drugs.com. Archived from the original on 18 January 2017. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
- ^ a b Maibach HI (2011). Evidence Based Dermatology. PMPH-USA. pp. 935–936. ISBN 9781607950394. Archived from the original on 2017-09-18.
Previous Page Next Page
