BETATAR GEL (coal tar)

Drug overview for BETATAR GEL (coal tar):

Generic name: coal tar (kole tar)
Drug class:
Therapeutic class: Dermatological

Coal tar has keratoplastic and mild local irritant properties.

Coal tar preparations are used topically alone or in combination with other drugs (e.g., salicylic acid, sulfur) for controlling dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, or psoriasis. Although there are few well-controlled studies demonstrating their efficacy, coal tar preparations are used and generally considered effective for relieving the itching and scalp flaking associated with dandruff; for relieving the itching, irritation, and skin flaking associated with seborrheic dermatitis; and for relieving the itching, redness, and scaling associated with psoriasis. However, patient acceptance of coal tar is very poor because it is extremely messy, malodorous, and stains skin and hair, and coal tar preparations have largely been replaced for many of these uses by other agents (e.g., topical antifungal agents, topical corticosteroids).

Although coal tar has been further modified or refined to potentially provide more esthetically acceptable and pharmaceutically practical preparation, there currently are no published data showing that these modified or refined preparations of coal tar are superior to or even equal in clinical efficacy to coal tar. Coal tar and coal tar preparations have been used in the past under the supervision of a clinician in conjunction with ultraviolet (UV) or sunlight for controlling psoriasis (i.e., Goeckerman therapy+). More recently, however, coal tar preparations have been replaced first by anthralin and then by lubricating bases in the Goeckerman regimen.

Coal tar and coal tar preparations also have been used topically in the management of other dermatologic disorders (e.g., eczema+, atopic dermatitis+, chronic exudative or lichenoid dermatitis+).