Treatment of acne vulgaris comparing two similar lotion formulations, one with ('Actinac') and one without chloramphenicol.

A double-blind, randomized study was carried out in 37 patients with acne vulgaris to compare the efficacy of two similar lotion formulations, one with ('Actinac') and the other without chloramphenicol (4%). Patients used one or other of the two formulations twice daily for the first 4 days and then at night only for the remainder of the 3-month trial period. At the end of the first month's treatment, the group treated with the full formulation showed a statistically significant greater reduction in lesion count score than in the group receiving the formulation without chloramphenicol. Both treatments produced statistically significant reductions in lesion counts at all monthly follow-up visits. After 3-months' treatment, the mean lesion count score was reduced from 28.8 to 9.3 in the full formulation-treated group and from 39.5 to 14.3 in the formulation minus chloramphenicol group, but this difference did not reach statistical significance.