Abstract: The present invention relates to osmolyte-containing preparations for the local treatment of dry mucous membranes. It describes the use of osmolytes for the production of a medicament, medical product or cosmetic product for the prevention, therapy and/or care of dry mucous membranes. The present invention relates to topical compositions based on osmolytes to which sodium chloride and/or moisturizers can optionally be added. The group of osmolytes proposed by the invention embraces various low-molecular substances, in particular ectoine, homoectoine, hydroxyectoine, di-myo-inositol phosphate (DIP), cyclic 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (cDPG), 1,1-di-glycerol phosphate (DGP), ?-mannosylglycerate (Firoin), ?-mannosylglyceramide (Firoin-A), di-mannosyl di-inositol phosphate (DMIP), glucosylglycerol and/or a derivative, e.g. an acid, salt or ester, of these compounds.