calamine

1. See hemimorphite.
2. A pink, odorless, tasteless powder of zinc oxide with a small amount of ferric oxide, dissolved in mineral oils and used in skin lotions.
3. An alloy composed of lead, tin, and zinc.

[French, from Medieval Latin calamīna, alteration of Latin cadmīa. See cadmium.]

A term that may refer to either a zinc mineral, Zn₄Si₂O₇(OH)₂ · H₂O, which is also known as hemimorphite, or to zinc oxide, ZnO, which is used in medicinal or pharmaceutical products and in cosmetics. See also Hemimorphite.

A preparation of zinc carbonate with with a small amount of ferric oxide; the lotion is used topically as protectant and astringent.

This article is about the chemical mixture. For other uses, see Calamine (disambiguation).

Calamine is a mixture of zinc oxide (ZnO) with about 0.5% iron(III) oxide (Fe₂O₃). It is the main ingredient in calamine lotion and is used as an antipruritic (anti-itching agent) to treat mild pruritic conditions such as sunburn, eczema, rashes, poison ivy, chickenpox, insect bites and stings.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]} It is also used as a mild antiseptic to prevent infections that can be caused by scratching the affected area, and an astringent to dry weeping or oozing blisters and acne abscesses.^[7]

In a 1992 press release, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that no proof had been submitted showing the main ingredients in calamine (zinc oxide and iron(III) oxide) to be safe for use or effective in treating bug bites, stings, and rashes from poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac.^[8] The press release listed a total of 415 OTC drug ingredients which the FDA proposed banning for specific uses which are as yet unproven.

Notes

1. ^ Calamine
2. ^ Calamine
3. ^ The South African Medicines Formulary: ANTIPRURITICS AND TOPICAL ANAESTHETICS
4. ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=iOiFFCn06xEC&pg=PA200&dq=%22calamine+lotion%22&sig=yP8zHYNd7P86aTpzOqq9HQSR-Do#PPP1,M1
5. ^ MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Poison ivy - oak - sumac rash
6. ^ MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Hives
7. ^ Soothing Remedies for Poison Ivy and Poison Oak
8. ^ FDA Press Release

External links

• Calamine MSDS
• Introduction to zinc and its uses

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