A Compendium of Compounding Agents and Formulations, Part 3: Gentamicin Sulfate and Benzoyl Peroxide

Since antiquity, the safety and effectiveness of topical and transdermal medications in treating a host of somatic conditions, including disorders that afflict the skin, have been appreciated. Those drug-delivery forms offer convenient self-administration; obviate gastrointestinal-tract absorption and hepatic-first-pass metabolism, thereby improving bioavailability and maintaining sufficient drug concentration within the therapeutic window; and facilitate the transmission of the largest fraction of drug molecules to the target area, thus maximizing therapeutic potential and reducing systemic drug toxicity. In this article, gentamicin and benzoyl peroxide, neither of which is commercially available currently in an easily modifiable topical or transdermal form, are profiled, and 2 compounded formulations are provided for easy reference.