Dimethicone is a silicone-based polymer used as a moisturizer in different skin OTC products. It is formed by repeated polymeric units of -(CH3)2SiO- with a terminal trimethyl siloxy unit. It... It is currently recognized by the FDA as a skin protectant OTC ingredient for human use in a concentration of 1-30%.
- Mechanism
- Curator reviewed · 3 references
Dimethicone, as well as all silicone derivatives, is considered as an occlusive and emollient agent. All occlusive agents act physically blocking transepidermal water loss by the formation of a hydrophobic film on the skin surface and within the superficial interstitium between corneocytes. Simethicone is often combined in drug products with petrolatum, which makes it greasy. The emollient characteristic of dimethicone is performed by filling the space between skin flakes which smooths the skin.
For its use as an anti-flatulent agent, dimethicone 410 acts as an antifoaming agent and it works by reducing the surface tension of gas bubbles. This causes the combination of the bubbles to form larger bubbles in the stomach which can pass easily by means of belching.
The use of dimethicone 410 in anti-lice medication has not been fully elucidated but it seems to be related to the disruption of the water balance mechanism in the lice which leads to the rupture of the gut.
- Primary indication
- Dimethicone is approved as a transdermal drug delivery system.Curator reviewed · 13 structured indications
- Brand names
Resolves to
What you can answer from here — as of April 02, 2025
Which other approved drugs treat the same conditions as Dimethicone 410, and which companies have late-stage candidates in those indications?
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