An Overview of Proprietary Vehicles/Bases for Topical Compounding Medicines and Cosmetics

Abstract

Compounding is currently an integral part of pharmacy practice, and it is essential to the provision of healthcare. Compounding is an important therapeutic option in all areas of medicine, with relevance to dermatological treatments. Compounding topical medicines can be time-consuming and requires specialized equipment. In this regard, the use of proprietary topical liquid and semisolid vehicles/bases can be a good alternative and a more sustainable approach. This review provides an overview of existing proprietary vehicles/bases, summarizing their properties and applications and identifying existing commercial and information gaps. Creams emerge as the foremost topical base, followed by gels and ointments. Besides acting locally on the skin, almost a third of these proprietary bases/vehicles are also suitable for the transdermal application of APIs. Information regarding composition and compatibilities/incompatibilities with APIs is not always provided by the manufacturer, constraining a complete analysis of all proprietary topical bases/vehicles considered. The collection and organization of this information are important not only for pharmacy practice and physician prescription, helping to select the best vehicles/bases, but also for the industry to identify opportunities for innovation.