ingenol mebutate

Ingenol mebutate is a small molecule topical agent originally derived from the sap of the *Euphorbia peplus* plant. It was developed for the treatment of actinic keratosis, a precancerous skin condition caused by sun exposure. The drug acts as a cytotoxic agent, rapidly inducing cell death in abnormal keratinocytes through both direct necrosis and immune-mediated mechanisms. Its mechanism involves activation and modulation of protein kinase C isoforms (notably PKC-delta and PKC-alpha), leading to downstream effects on cellular signaling pathways such as Ras/Raf/MAPK and p38 activation, as well as AKT inhibition. Ingenol mebutate also triggers neutrophil-mediated inflammation and antibody-dependent cell death targeting residual dysplastic cells[1][2][5][6][8]. The product was marketed under the brand name Picato but has been discontinued in several markets including the United States.

Brand names

Picato

Other names

ingenol mebutate