butantrone

Butantrone is a synthetic anthrone derivative and an analog of dithranol (anthralin) developed for the topical treatment of psoriasis. It functions by inhibiting keratinocyte proliferation and DNA synthesis, similar to its parent compound, but is designed to be less irritating and cause less staining than dithranol. Clinical studies, particularly those conducted by Orion Corporation, evaluated its efficacy in short-contact therapy regimens, demonstrating that while higher concentrations of butantrone are required to achieve therapeutic effects comparable to dithranol, it offers a significantly improved safety profile regarding skin blood flow (erythema) and inflammatory response. Despite its potential advantages in tolerability, it is no longer widely pursued in clinical development or commercialized.

Other names

10-butyryl-1,8-dihydroxy-9-anthrone10-butyryldithranol10-butyryl-1,8-dihydroxyanthrone