[75 years of Cignolin]

Eugen Galewsky (1864-1935), dermatologist in Dresden, introduced 1,8-dihydroxyanthrone (Cignolin, Dithranol) for therapy of psoriasis. He intended to substitute Chrysarobin, a synthetic product, which causes strong discolouring and irritation of skin. In 1916 the firm Farbenfabrik Bayer, Leverkusen, obtained a patent for synthesis of 1.8-dihydroxyanthrone by an inexpensive method. There is a reason to believe that the brother of Eugen Galewsky, the chemist Paul Galewsky, was a co-worker to the Farbenfabrik Bayer and that he recommended his brother Eugen testing Cignolin. Even now Cignolin is still used in the treatment of psoriasis.