Ghorpade A

Indian Journal of Dermatology Venereology and Leprology

Bioline International

Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol November-December 2003 Vol 69 Issue 6 430430 CMYKthe world over, and is recommended by most standarddermatology textbooks.3 Then is there any real needfor a study of lincomycin, particularly when none ofthe standard dermatology textbooks even mentiontopical lincomycin in the list of treatment options?The study gives a false sense of new research, whichshould not be allowed in major academic institutes.Navin ModiConsultant Dermatologist, Mumbai, India.Address for correspondence: C-101, Nav Ambika Nagar, Shahad -421103. Thane, India. E-mail: Modidr100@yahoo.co.inREFERENCES1. Sharma AD, et al. Topical lincomycin gel in acne vulgaris: Amulticentric placebo controlled study. Indian J DermatolVenereol Leprol 2003;69:271-4.2. Sylvia HSO, Long TQ. Topical antibacterial agents.Comprehensive dermatologic therapy; 2002. p. 481.3. Andrew’s disease of skin. 9th ed. WB Saunders; 2000.Response by the authorsSir,Lincomycin, belonging to the group of lincosamides,has been in use for the past 40 years.1 The incidence ofresistance associated with the use of lincomycin islower than with some other antibiotics.2 Earlier in vitrostudies have demonstrated the effect of lincomycinagainst Propionibacterium acnes,3 the organismimplicated in acne.Recent reports have suggested that P. acnes hasdeveloped resistance to a number of commonly usedtopical anti-acne agents. 4 The major aim ofdevelopment of a topical formulation of lincomycin,the first of its kind, was to have a newer topicalantibiotic to which the organism had not been earlierexposed.  Lincomycin gel was therefore developed asa potent topical anti-acne agent. As it is an originalformulation developed by Wallace Pharmaceuticals,acute and chronic toxicity studies were performed,5followed by a multicentric clinical study6 to determineits efficacy. These have proved that the formulation waseffective and well tolerated. As a topical formulation isavailable only in India recently, this has not beenmentioned in textbooks.As regards its safety profile, the study comparedlincomycin gel with the base used (placebo) anddemonstrated that adverse effects with the active drugwere no more than with the placebo. Furthercomparative studies with other available anti-acneagents should be useful in determining the comparativeefficacy and tolerability of lincomycin gel.A. D. Sharma, P. D. Gupte,1 M. Sundaram,2 V.R. Janaki,4 V. L. Rege,4 F. E. Bilimoria,5J. Arora6Wallace Pharmaceutical Ltd., Mumbai, India;1Depar tment of Skin& VD, KEM Hospital, Mumbai, India; 2Depar tment  of Dermatology,Govt. General Hospital, Chennai, India; 3Depar tment ofDermatology, Govt. General Hospital, Chennai, India; 4Depar tmentof Skin & VD, Medical College, Goa, India; 5Department ofDermatology, B. J. Medical College & Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad,India; 6Govt. Medical College & Associated Hospitals, Jammu,India.REFERENCES1. Herrel WE. Lincomycin. Chicago: Modern ScientificPublications; 1969.2. Dollery C. Therapeutic drugs. 1st ed. Edinburgh: ChurchillLivingstone; 1991.3. Unkles SE, Gemmell CG. Effect of clindamycin, erythromycin,lincomycin and tetracycline on growth and extracellular lipaseproduction by propionibacterium in vitro. Antimicrob AgentsChemother 1982;21:39-43.4. Eady EA, Jones CE, Tipper JL, Cove JH, Cunliffe WJ, LaytonAM. Antibiotic resistant propionobacterium in acne: Need forpolicies to modify antibiotic usage. BMJ 1993;306:555-6.5. Data on file, Wallace Pharmaceuticals, Mumbai, India.6. Sharma AD, Gupte PD, Sundaram M, Janaki VR, Rege VL, et al.Topical lincomycin gel in acne vulgaris: A multicentric placebocontrolled study. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol2003;69:271-3.Innovative use of disposable syringe asa substitute for container of a dermajetSir,The dermajet being used in our department is animported one. When the container of the dermajetbroke one day, it almost broke the hearts of thedepartmental doctors as well as those patients forLetters to EditorIndian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol November-December 2003 Vol 69 Issue 6431CMYK431Letters to Editorwhom we had given a prior appointment forintralesional injections. We did not have a sparecontainer of reinforced plastic from the company, andthe cumbersome procurement procedure for importinganother one was a strong deterrent for trying to getone. Since the circumstances were pressing, I had tosearch for a similar sized container and finally, foundone: a 5 ml disposable syringe, the cylinder of whichwhen cut to matching size, perfectly fitted our dermajet.This very cheap and easily available, sterilized substitutehas been working so well for the past 2 years that theneed to get an original one has never been felt.Truly, someone has correctly said that necessity is themother of most inventions. Ashok GhorpadeDepar tment of Dermatology,Venereology & Leprosy,J. L. N. Hospital & Research Centre, Bhilai Steel Plant, Bhilai ,Chattisgarh - 490006, India.Address for correspondence: Dr. Ashok Ghorpade, 1B, Street 13,Hospital Sector, Bhilai - 490006, Chattisgarh, India.E-mail: draghorpade@yahoo.comAnnouncementIndian Journal of Pediatric DermatologyThe editor of Indian Journal of Paediatric Dermatology has changed. All manuscripts may kindly be sent to the neweditor in duplicate along with floppy disc on the following address:Dr. D. M. ThappaProfessor and Head, Dermatology and STD Department,JIPMER, Pondicherry - 605006, India.Tel: 0413-2271250 (R)  Mobile: 098430 58275  E-mail: dmthappa@jipmer.edu

Innovative use of disposable syringe as a substitute for container of a dermajet

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