Acitretin 5mg/5ml oral solution
Requires a prescription from a doctor or prescriber
An oral retinoid effective in the treatment of psoriasis.
Official documents, adverse reaction reporting, and safety monitoring
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Official medicine documents
Safety monitoring data
Yellow Card reports
The MHRA Yellow Card scheme collects reports of suspected side effects from healthcare professionals and patients. View the Drug Analysis Profile (iDAP) for real-world adverse reaction data.
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Suspected adverse reactions reported for Acitretin
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Submit a Yellow Card report to the MHRA
Data from the MHRA Yellow Card scheme. A reported reaction does not necessarily mean the medicine caused it. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
EudraVigilance
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) collects suspected adverse reaction reports from across the EU/EEA through the EudraVigilance system. Search for safety data on this medicine.
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Suspected adverse reactions reported for Acitretin
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Learn about EU pharmacovigilance and safety monitoring
EudraVigilance data is published by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). A suspected adverse reaction is not necessarily caused by the medicine.
1 branded products available
WHO defined daily dose (DDD)
35 mg
Not a recommended dose. The DDD is the assumed average maintenance dose per day for a drug used for its main indication in adults. It is a statistical measure used for research and comparison purposes only.
Source: WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology, distributed via NHS dm+d BNF mapping files. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Therapeutically similar medicines
Similarity based on WHO Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification and NHS BNF section grouping. Source data: NHS dm+d via TRUD (OGL v3.0), WHO ATC/DDD Index.
NHS prescribing volume and spending trends
Clinical guidelines and formulary information
British National Formulary
Acitretin
Source: British National Formulary, NICE. Joint Formulary Committee. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
NICE clinical guidance(10)
Certolizumab pegol for treating moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (TA574)
Psoriasis: assessment and management (CG153)
Spesolimab for treating generalised pustular psoriasis flares (TA1070)
Deucravacitinib for treating moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (TA907)
Psoriasis (QS40)
Secukinumab for treating moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa (TA935)
Brodalumab for treating moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (TA511)
Dimethyl fumarate for treating moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (TA475)
Adalimumab for treating moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa (TA392)
Tildrakizumab for treating moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (TA575)
Source: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Check stock at pharmacies and supply information
Pharmacy stock checkers
Search for this medicine at major UK pharmacy chains. These links open the retailer's own website — results depend on their current online catalogue.
Supply & product information
Official product databases and supply status monitoring
Pharmacy links redirect to the retailer's own search and do not represent real-time stock levels. emc (electronic medicines compendium) is operated by Datapharm Ltd. Shortage information sourced from NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service (SPS), sps.nhs.uk.
Codes for healthcare professionals and prescribing systems
These codes are used by healthcare IT systems and prescribers to identify this medicine.
NHS UK identifiers
Browse tools
SNOMED CT and dm+d codes from NHS TRUD (Technology Reference data Update Distribution), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. BNF codes from NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). ATC codes from the WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology (whocc.no).
Active and completed clinical studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health (NIH). Data accessed via ClinicalTrials.gov API v2. Trial information is provided for research purposes and does not constitute medical advice.
Pharmacology and chemical data from DrugBank
Key facts
Drug status
Approved
Major interactions
None known
Half-life
49 hours
Mechanism
The mechanism of action of acitretin is unknown, however it is believed to work…
Food interactions
2 warnings
Human targets
8 targets
Data: DrugBank · CC BY-NC 4.0
Pharmacokinetics at a glance
Absorption
25 to 100 mg
Half-life
49 hours
Protein binding
99.9%
Metabolism
Elimination
34%
Pharmacokinetic data: DrugBank · CC BY-NC 4.0
Known interactions with other medications. Always consult a healthcare professional.
Showing 50 of 52 interactions
How the body processes this drug — absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination
Proteins and enzymes this drug interacts with in the body
PMID:10874028 PMID:11162439 PMID:11915042 PMID:37478846
Forms homo- or heterodimers with retinoic acid receptors (RARs) and binds to target response elements in response to their ligands, all-trans or 9-cis retinoic acid, to regulate gene expression in various biological processes .
PMID:10195690 PMID:11162439 PMID:11915042 PMID:16107141 PMID:17761950 PMID:18800767 PMID:19167885 PMID:28167758 PMID:37478846
The RAR/RXR heterodimers bind to the retinoic acid response elements (RARE) composed of tandem 5'-AGGTCA-3' sites known as DR1-DR5 to regulate transcription .
PMID:10195690 PMID:11162439 PMID:11915042 PMID:17761950 PMID:28167758
The high affinity ligand for retinoid X receptors (RXRs) is 9-cis retinoic acid .
PMID:1310260
In the absence of ligand, the RXR-RAR heterodimers associate with a multiprotein complex containing transcription corepressors that induce histone deacetylation, chromatin condensation and transcriptional suppression .
PMID:20215566
On ligand binding, the corepressors dissociate from the receptors and coactivators are recruited leading to transcriptional activation .
PMID:20215566 PMID:37478846 PMID:9267036
Serves as a common heterodimeric partner for a number of nuclear receptors, such as RARA, RARB and PPARA .
PMID:10195690 PMID:11915042 PMID:28167758 PMID:29021580
The RXRA/RARB heterodimer can act as a transcriptional repressor or transcriptional activator, depending on the RARE DNA element context .
PMID:29021580
The RXRA/PPARA heterodimer is required for PPARA transcriptional activity on fatty acid oxidation genes such as ACOX1 and the P450 system genes .
PMID:10195690
Together with RARA, positively regulates microRNA-10a expression, thereby inhibiting the GATA6/VCAM1 signaling response to pulsatile shear stress in vascular endothelial cells .
PMID:28167758
Acts as an enhancer of RARA binding to RARE DNA element .
PMID:28167758
May facilitate the nuclear import of heterodimerization partners such as VDR and NR4A1 .
PMID:12145331 PMID:15509776
Promotes myelin debris phagocytosis and remyelination by macrophages .
PMID:26463675
Plays a role in the attenuation of the innate immune system in response to viral infections, possibly by negatively regulating the transcription of antiviral genes such as type I IFN genes .
PMID:25417649
Involved in the regulation of calcium signaling by repressing ITPR2 gene expression, thereby controlling cellular senescence PMID:30216632
PMID:16417524 PMID:19850744 PMID:20215566 PMID:21152046 PMID:37478846
Retinoic acid receptors bind as heterodimers to their target response elements in response to their ligands, all-trans or 9-cis retinoic acid, and regulate gene expression in various biological processes .
PMID:21152046 PMID:28167758 PMID:37478846
The RXR/RAR heterodimers bind to the retinoic acid response elements (RARE) composed of tandem 5'-AGGTCA-3' sites known as DR1-DR5 .
PMID:19398580 PMID:28167758
In the absence of ligand, the RXR-RAR heterodimers associate with a multiprotein complex containing transcription corepressors that induce histone deacetylation, chromatin condensation and transcriptional suppression .
PMID:16417524
On ligand binding, the corepressors dissociate from the receptors and associate with the coactivators leading to transcriptional activation .
PMID:19850744 PMID:20215566 PMID:37478846 PMID:9267036
Formation of a complex with histone deacetylases might lead to inhibition of RARE DNA element binding and to transcriptional repression .
PMID:28167758
Transcriptional activation and RARE DNA element binding might be supported by the transcription factor KLF2 .
PMID:28167758
RARA plays an essential role in the regulation of retinoic acid-induced germ cell development during spermatogenesis (By similarity). Has a role in the survival of early spermatocytes at the beginning prophase of meiosis (By similarity). In Sertoli cells, may promote the survival and development of early meiotic prophase spermatocytes (By similarity).
In concert with RARG, required for skeletal growth, matrix homeostasis and growth plate function (By similarity). Together with RXRA, positively regulates microRNA-10a expression, thereby inhibiting the GATA6/VCAM1 signaling response to pulsatile shear stress in vascular endothelial cells .
PMID:28167758
In association with HDAC3, HDAC5 and HDAC7 corepressors, plays a role in the repression of microRNA-10a and thereby promotes the inflammatory response PMID:28167758
In the absence or presence of hormone ligand, acts mainly as an activator of gene expression due to weak binding to corepressors .
PMID:12554770
The RXRA/RARB heterodimer can act as a repressor on the DR1 element and as an activator on the DR5 element .
PMID:29021580
In concert with RARG, required for skeletal growth, matrix homeostasis and growth plate function (By similarity)
In the absence of ligand, acts mainly as an activator of gene expression due to weak binding to corepressors. Required for limb bud development. In concert with RARA or RARB, required for skeletal growth, matrix homeostasis and growth plate function (By similarity)
The high affinity ligand for RXRs is 9-cis retinoic acid (By similarity)
Proteins that carry this drug through the body
PMID:19021548
Major calcium and magnesium transporter in plasma, binds approximately 45% of circulating calcium and magnesium in plasma (By similarity).
Potentially has more than two calcium-binding sites and might additionally bind calcium in a non-specific manner (By similarity). The shared binding site between zinc and calcium at residue Asp-273 suggests a crosstalk between zinc and calcium transport in the blood (By similarity). The rank order of affinity is zinc > calcium > magnesium (By similarity).
Binds to the bacterial siderophore enterobactin and inhibits enterobactin-mediated iron uptake of E.coli from ferric transferrin, and may thereby limit the utilization of iron and growth of enteric bacteria such as E.coli .
PMID:6234017
Does not prevent iron uptake by the bacterial siderophore aerobactin PMID:6234017
ATC D05BB02
Chemical identifiers
CAS, UNII, InChI Key and database cross-references
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Chemical identifiers
CAS, UNII, InChI Key and database cross-references
Linked compound data from DrugBank Open Data (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Acitretin
Additional database identifiers
Drugs Product Database (DPD)
1209
ChemSpider
4447573
BindingDB
50088429
ZINC
ZINC000003798734
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:10477
GenAtlas
RXRA
GeneCards
RXRA
GenBank Gene Database
X52773
GenBank Protein Database
35885
Guide to Pharmacology
610
UniProt Accession
RXRA_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:9864
GenAtlas
RARA
GeneCards
RARA
GenBank Gene Database
X06614
GenBank Protein Database
36157
Guide to Pharmacology
590
UniProt Accession
RARA_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:9865
GenAtlas
RARB
GeneCards
RARB
GenBank Gene Database
X07282
GenBank Protein Database
35883
Guide to Pharmacology
591
UniProt Accession
RARB_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:9866
GenAtlas
RARG
GeneCards
RARG
GenBank Gene Database
M24857
GenBank Protein Database
306887
Guide to Pharmacology
592
UniProt Accession
RARG_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:10479
GenAtlas
RXRG
GeneCards
RXRG
GenBank Gene Database
U38480
GenBank Protein Database
1053069
Guide to Pharmacology
612
UniProt Accession
RXRG_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:10478
GenAtlas
RXRB
GeneCards
RXRB
GenBank Gene Database
X63522
GenBank Protein Database
30448
Guide to Pharmacology
611
UniProt Accession
RXRB_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:11364
GenAtlas
STAT3
GeneCards
STAT3
GenBank Gene Database
AF029311
Guide to Pharmacology
2994
UniProt Accession
STAT3_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:9919
GenAtlas
RBP1
GeneCards
RBP1
GenBank Gene Database
M11433
GenBank Protein Database
190948
UniProt Accession
RET1_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:399
GenAtlas
ALB
GeneCards
ALB
GenBank Gene Database
V00494
GenBank Protein Database
28590
UniProt Accession
ALBU_HUMAN
International reference pricing
Reference pricing from DrugBank. Prices are indicative and may not reflect current UK costs.
Source: DrugBank. Used under CC BY-NC 4.0 academic licence for non-commercial purposes.
DrugBank citations
If you use DrugBank data in your research, please cite the following publications: