Abstract: The invention is directed to a pharmaceutical composition comprising an oxygenated cholesterol and a penetration-enhancing agent which is useful for topical application to the skin of a patient suffering from a proliferative skin disease characterized by geminative cells having a rapid rate of replication, e.g. psoriasis. The composition comprises an effective amount for the inhibition of germinative cell mitosis of an oxygenated cholesterol, e.g. 26-hydroxycholesterol, or a pharmaceutically effective derivative thereof e.g. an ester or ether. The invention is further directed to a method of treating a patient suffering from said skin disease comprising applying to the effected skin said therapeutic composition. The invention is also directed to the topical application of these compositions to the skin to decrease inflammation.

Abstract: There is disclosed a topical antibacterial composition and method for topical antibiotic treatment. The method involves contacting the skin of a human or animal with an effective amount of a composition containing an antibiotic of the erythromycin family and 2-pyrrolidone or an N-lower alkyl-2-pyrrolidone. The preferred use of the foregoing composition and method is in the treatment of acne.

Abstract: There is disclosed a composition and method for topically administering griseofulvin to a human or animal in a manner such that a high degree of epidermal, especially stratum corneum, retention of griseofulvin is attained, by contacting the skin of a human or animal with an effective amount of a therapeutic composition containing griseofulvin in a vehicle system comprising 2-pyrrolidone and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone in a ratio ranging between about 1:4 and about 4:1, said composition containing at least about 10% by weight of said vehicle system.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for topical treatment of acne. The method involves topical treatment of a human suffering from acne with an effective amount of an antibiotic of the lincomycin family.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for topically administering griseofulvin to a human or animal in a manner such that a high degree of epidermal, especially stratum corneum, retention of griseofulvin is attained by contacting the skin of a human or animal with an effective amount of a therapeutic composition containing griseofulvin and 2-pyrrolidone or an N-lower alkyl-2-pyrrolidone.