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Benserazide hydrochloride with levodopa, also called co-beneldopa, treats symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and licensed forms of parkinsonism. Levodopa replaces depleted brain dopamine; benserazide limits its conversion outside the brain.
Benzalkonium chloride is a surface-active antiseptic used in the selected medicated shampoo. It loosens and washes away scalp scales while reducing microorganisms that may worsen dandruff-related conditions.
A topical emollient with two antiseptics. It moisturises and protects dry, itchy skin while reducing bacteria that can aggravate eczema or dermatitis. Selected formulations can replace soap.
This prescription skin cream combines an antifungal, mild corticosteroid, protective barrier and antiseptic. It treats inflamed skin conditions where Candida contributes, particularly intertrigo and severe nappy rash.
A combined emollient and antiseptic used in bath water or directly on the skin. It rehydrates dry, itchy skin and can help with secondary bacterial infection associated with conditions such as eczema.
A bath emollient combining light liquid paraffin with the antiseptics benzalkonium chloride and triclosan. It moisturises and cleanses eczema-prone skin where infection is a concern.
This skin cream combines tolnaftate, an antifungal, with benzalkonium chloride, an antimicrobial. It is licensed to treat and help prevent athlete’s foot and to treat tinea cruris (jock itch).
A sugar-free antiseptic pastille that acts locally in the mouth to ease discomfort from mouth ulcers and sore gums.
Benzocaine is an ester-type local anaesthetic applied inside the mouth. Selected gels temporarily numb mouth-ulcer, denture or specified toothache pain.
Benzoin sumatra with storax is an ethanol-based tincture used as an aromatic inhalant for cold symptoms and as a mild antiseptic skin dressing. It relieves symptoms rather than treating the cause of a cold. The selected Friars’ Balsam product is marked as discontinued on eMC.
Benzoyl peroxide is a topical acne treatment. It reduces acne-associated bacteria and helps clear dead skin from blocked pores.
A prescription skin gel combining an antibiotic with an antibacterial, mildly keratolytic ingredient. It treats mild to moderate acne, particularly inflamed spots, in adults and adolescents aged 12 years and over.
Benzydamine hydrochloride is a locally acting non-steroidal anti-inflammatory treatment used inside the mouth and throat. It reduces inflammatory pain and can cause temporary local numbness.
A water-in-oil cream containing zinc oxide, lanolin and benzyl compounds. It protects and soothes irritated skin and has mild antiseptic and local anaesthetic properties.
Benzylpenicillin benzathine is a long-acting penicillin antibiotic given by deep injection into a muscle. It is mainly used for syphilis and certain other treponemal or streptococcal infections.
Benzylpenicillin sodium is a short-acting injectable penicillin antibiotic that kills susceptible bacteria. It is mainly used in clinical settings for serious, time-critical or specialist infections.
Beractant is an animal-derived lung surfactant given directly into a newborn baby's windpipe. In the UK, specialist neonatal teams use it to treat respiratory distress syndrome in certain premature babies and help prevent it in eligible babies at risk.
Berotralstat dihydrochloride is an oral plasma kallikrein inhibitor used to help prevent recurrent hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks in adults and adolescents aged 12 years and over. It does not treat an attack that has already started.
Betahistine dihydrochloride is a prescription histamine analogue used to treat symptoms associated with Ménière’s syndrome. It may reduce vertigo attacks and associated tinnitus, hearing loss and nausea, although improvement can take time.
Betaine anhydrous is a methyl donor used alongside specialist dietary management, appropriate vitamin therapy and other treatments for inherited homocystinuria. It helps lower blood homocysteine.
A topical combination for adults with stable plaque psoriasis. Calcipotriol helps normalise excessive skin-cell growth, while betamethasone reduces inflammation and itching.
Betamethasone dipropionate is a potent topical corticosteroid that reduces inflammation, itching and redness. Cream and ointment products treat responsive inflammatory skin disorders; lotion is for affected areas of the scalp.
A prescription skin treatment combining a vitamin D analogue with a strong topical corticosteroid. It treats mild to moderate plaque psoriasis in adults, including scalp psoriasis.
This prescription skin treatment combines calcipotriol, a vitamin D analogue, with the potent corticosteroid betamethasone dipropionate. It reduces excessive skin-cell production and inflammation in adult psoriasis.
This prescription skin cream combines an antifungal with a topical corticosteroid that reduces inflammation and itching. It is licensed for certain inflamed fungal skin infections.
This topical treatment combines a potent corticosteroid to reduce inflammation and itching with salicylic acid to loosen thick surface scale. It is used for selected dry, thickened, scaly skin disorders that respond to corticosteroids.
Betamethasone sodium phosphate is a corticosteroid that reduces inflammation and immune activity. It is available as soluble tablets, an injection, and eye, ear or nasal drops.
This prescription-only preparation combines a corticosteroid that reduces inflammation with an aminoglycoside antibiotic. It is used in the eye, outer ear or nose when inflammation also requires antibacterial cover.
Betamethasone valerate is a potent topical corticosteroid used on the skin or scalp to reduce inflammation, itching and redness. UK formulations include creams, ointments, lotion, scalp application and foam.
This topical preparation combines a potent corticosteroid that reduces inflammation and itching with clioquinol, an antibacterial and antifungal agent. It is used when secondary bacterial or fungal infection is present, suspected or likely.
This skin cream combines fusidic acid, an antibiotic, with betamethasone valerate, a potent topical corticosteroid. It treats inflammatory eczema or dermatitis when secondary bacterial infection is confirmed or suspected.
Betaxolol hydrochloride is a beta blocker used as eye drops to lower pressure inside the eye. The selected UK product is licensed for chronic open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension.
Bevacizumab is a targeted biological treatment that blocks vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), reducing blood-vessel formation that supports tumours. It is usually given with other specialist treatments for selected advanced or metastatic cancers in adults.
Bexarotene is an anti-cancer retinoid used under specialist supervision for skin manifestations of advanced cutaneous T-cell lymphoma that has not responded to systemic treatment.
Bicalutamide is a non-steroidal anti-androgen used as hormone therapy for prostate cancer. The selected UK product is licensed for advanced disease alongside an LHRH analogue or surgical castration.
This fixed-combination antiretroviral contains an integrase inhibitor and two reverse-transcriptase inhibitors. It controls HIV-1 but does not cure HIV.
Bifonazole is a topical imidazole antifungal. The selected UK cream is licensed for athlete’s foot and acts locally against the fungi causing it.
Bilastine is a second-generation antihistamine used to relieve allergic nose and eye symptoms and urticaria (hives).
Bimatoprost is a prescription prostamide eye drop that lowers pressure inside the eye by improving fluid drainage. It is mainly used in adults with ocular hypertension or chronic open-angle glaucoma, alone or alongside a topical beta-blocker.
Combines a prostamide with a beta-blocker to lower pressure inside the eye. Selected UK products are licensed for adults with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension when a topical beta-blocker or prostaglandin analogue alone has not reduced pressure sufficiently.
Bimekizumab is a biologic monoclonal antibody that reduces inflammation by blocking two related inflammatory cytokines. It is a specialist treatment for several inflammatory skin and joint conditions in adults.
Binimetinib is a targeted anticancer treatment called a MEK inhibitor. It is used with encorafenib for specific advanced cancers with a suitable BRAF mutation.
Bisacodyl is a stimulant laxative that acts mainly in the large bowel. It is used for occasional constipation when simpler measures have not been enough.
A prescription-only combination of bismuth and two antibiotics. It is used with omeprazole to eradicate Helicobacter pylori and help prevent recurrence of associated peptic ulcers.
Bismuth subnitrate and iodoform is supplied as antiseptic paste-impregnated gauze for packing ear, nose or throat surgical cavities. Healthcare professionals may also use it to control acute nosebleeds.
Bivalirudin is an intravenous anticoagulant that directly blocks thrombin, an enzyme central to blood-clot formation. It is used in hospital for adults undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention and for certain acute coronary syndromes when early intervention is planned.
Bleomycin sulfate is chemotherapy for selected cancers and malignant fluid around the lung. A specialist hospital team administers it, often with other anticancer treatments.
Blinatumomab is an immunotherapy for selected forms of B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). It brings T cells into contact with CD19-positive B cells so the immune system can destroy the leukaemia cells.
Bortezomib is an anticancer proteasome inhibitor used alone or with other treatments for adults with multiple myeloma and, in a specific combination, previously untreated mantle cell lymphoma.
Bosentan monohydrate widens blood vessels by blocking endothelin receptors. It is mainly used for pulmonary arterial hypertension and to reduce new digital ulcers in systemic sclerosis.
Bosutinib is a targeted anticancer treatment called a tyrosine kinase inhibitor. It treats Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukaemia (Ph+ CML), including newly diagnosed chronic-phase disease and selected previously treated disease.
Botulinum toxin type A is a prescription-only injection that temporarily reduces signalling from nerves to selected muscles or glands. Depending on the product, it treats certain movement disorders, focal spasticity, excessive saliva production or specific facial lines.
Brentuximab vedotin is an antibody–drug conjugate that targets CD30 on certain lymphoma cells and delivers a cell-killing agent. It is used alone or with other anticancer treatments for selected Hodgkin and T-cell lymphomas.
A personalised gene therapy made by modifying a patient’s own T cells to recognise CD19 on B cells. It is used in specialist centres for certain relapsed or treatment-resistant blood cancers.
Brigatinib is a targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor licensed alone for adults with advanced ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer, including those who have not received an ALK inhibitor and those previously treated with crizotinib.
Brimonidine tartrate is a selective alpha-2 receptor agonist. Eye drops lower raised pressure in open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension; facial gel temporarily reduces persistent rosacea redness in adults.
This eye-drop suspension combines two pressure-lowering treatments. It is licensed for adults with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension when one treatment alone has not reduced eye pressure sufficiently.
This eye-drop solution combines an alpha-2 receptor agonist with a beta blocker. It lowers eye pressure in chronic open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension when a topical beta blocker alone has not worked sufficiently.
This prescription eye-drop combination contains an alpha-2 agonist and a beta blocker. It lowers pressure inside the eye in chronic open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension when topical beta-blocker treatment alone has not worked well enough.
Brinzolamide is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor supplied as eye drops. It lowers pressure inside the eye in adults with ocular hypertension or open-angle glaucoma.