isotretinoin

[ahy-soh-tri-tin-oh-in, -oin]

noun

Pharmacology.

1. a yellowish-orange to orange crystalline powder, C 20 H 28 O 2 , used in the treatment of cystic acne.

isotretinoin

/ ˌaɪsəʊtrəˈtɪnəʊɪn /

noun

1. a drug related to vitamin A, used to treat severe acne that has failed to respond to other treatment

Word History and Origins

Origin of isotretinoin¹

iso- + tretinoin a name for retinoic or Vitamin A acid, equivalent to t- (of uncertain derivation) + retino(ic acid) ( retin(ol) + -o- + -ic ) + -in ²

Example Sentences

Isotretinoin, also known as roaccutane, is a form of vitamin A that is used to treat severe cases that have not responded to other treatments, including antibiotics.

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Ashlee, from Bridgend, has been on acne medication isotretinoin for more than a year, and while her acne is yet to completely clear, her spirit is undeterred.

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However, these treatments can cause serious side effects such as breaking skin microbiome homeostasis -because they are not selectively killing bacteria- or photosensitivity, in the case of antibiotics, or birth defects or extreme scaling of skin, in the case of isotretinoin.

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And isotretinoin, commonly known as Accutane, is an effective oral acne medication, though it can cause serious side effects, including birth defects and depression.

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At the inquest in December 2021 into the teenager's death, coroner Jonathan Leach concluded there was "no evidence" it was "caused or contributed to by isotretinoin".

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