eflornithine hydrochloride monohydrate: prescribing and clinical use
Focused clinical detail for use alongside current product information, local policy and patient-specific assessment.
eflornithine hydrochloride monohydrate: clinical details
Prescribing considerations
- Assess sudden, severe or atypical hirsutism for endocrine disease and review medicines that can promote hair growth.
- Explain that treatment slows growth rather than removing hair and that benefit is lost after stopping.
- Efficacy is established only for affected facial and under-chin areas.
- Safety and efficacy are not established in children or adolescents, or in hepatic or renal impairment; use particular caution in severe renal impairment.
Contraindications and cautions
- Hypersensitivity to eflornithine or any excipient.
- Avoid during pregnancy, when planning pregnancy and while breastfeeding.
Monitoring
- Review clinical benefit and discontinue if ineffective.
- Monitor for local irritation, acne, folliculitis, contact dermatitis and allergic reactions.
- Stop treatment and reassess if irritation persists.
Clinical pharmacology
Eflornithine irreversibly inhibits follicular ornithine decarboxylase. Cutaneous penetration is low; absorbed eflornithine is not known to be metabolised and is eliminated mainly in urine.
Formulation and product differences
- The selected product is a white to off-white cutaneous cream.
- Cetostearyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol may cause local skin reactions; methyl and propyl parahydroxybenzoate may cause allergic reactions, including delayed reactions.
- Available tube sizes may vary. Discard remaining cream six months after first opening and store below 25°C.
eflornithine hydrochloride monohydrate preparations and strengths
Cream
Route: Cutaneous
Strengths: 11.5%
eflornithine hydrochloride monohydrate interactions
Formal interaction studies have not been performed.
Other treatments applied to the same skin
Local compatibility and effects are uncertain. Tell the prescriber or pharmacist before combining topical treatments.
Cyclosporin, glucocorticoids, minoxidil, phenobarbital, phenytoin and androgenic hormone replacement
These can promote excessive hair growth and may require review of the underlying cause; this is not described as a direct interaction.
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.