Isotretinoin, also known as 13-cis-retinoic acid and sold under the brand name Accutane among others, is a medication used to treat skin diseases like harlequin-type ichthyosis, and lamellar ichthyosis, and severe cystic acne or moderate acne that is unresponsive to antibiotics.[6] Isotretinoin is used off-label to treat basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, although clinical evidence suggests it is not effective in this setting.[7] It is a retinoid, meaning it is related to vitamin A, and is found in small quantities naturally in the body. Its isomer, tretinoin, is also an acne drug.
The most common adverse effects are dry lips (cheilitis), dry and fragile skin (xeroderma), dry eyes[8] and an increased susceptibility to sunburn. Uncommon and rare side effects include muscle aches and pains (myalgias), and headaches. Some of those side effects can persist long after the discontinuation of use of the drug.[8] Isotretinoin may cause liver failure, therefore the patient's blood levels should be regularly tested.[9] It is known to cause birth defects due to in-utero exposure because of the molecule's close resemblance to retinoic acid, a natural vitamin A derivative that controls normal embryonic development. It is associated with psychiatric side effects, most commonly depression but also, more rarely, psychosis and unusual behaviors. Other rare side effects include hyperostosis and premature epiphyseal closure, which have been reported to be persistent.
Isotretinoin was patented in 1969 and approved for medical use in 1982.[10] In 2021, it was the 264th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 1million prescriptions.[11][12]
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^Erşan M (5 September 2017). "Sivilce ilacı karaciğerini mahvetti" [Acne drug destroyed her life]. www.hurriyet.com.tr (in Turkish). Retrieved 20 June 2024. [Prof. Dr. K. Yalçın Polat, President of the Department of General Surgery at the Memorial Ataşehir Hospital: Our patient's blood values were very high when she was hospitalized. It was not easy for us to decide to have a liver transplant. During our three-week treatment, her liver values continued to rise and she entered liver failure, which made us take this decision. In the liver biopsy, we saw necrosis (non-living tissue) in the liver. If we had waited a little longer, she would have fallen into a coma and we would have then lost the patient. The cause of her liver failure is the medication she takes for acne. Unfortunately, this drug is very widely used. Liver enzymes should be closely monitored while taking isotretinoin. Every kind of drug reaches the liver, and each of them has side effects as well as its positive effects. Even if the liver tolerates these and cleans the toxins, it can still be affected as in the case of Mrs. Çilingir.]