Compounding Pearls -- Wound Care: Drugs and Formulations for Dermal Healing, Part 4. Insulin

The doses, dosage forms, and compositions of pharmaceutical compounds are as numerous and varied as the conditions for which they are prescribed. Although many patients in the U.S. have access to standardized medications that are effective, people who experience adverse effects from preservatives, dyes, or fillers; rely on nonstandard chemotherapy protocols; or must be treated with atypical routes of therapy often benefit from medicines designed to meet their specific medical needs and personal preferences. Among the conditions that often prove refractory to standardized therapies are dermal injuries, which, if inadequately or inappropriately treated, can severely compromise overall health and well-being. In this article, the use of insulin to treat such lesions, especially in diabetic patients, is discussed, and a formulation for a topical compounded preparation containing that agent is provided.