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Ichthammol is a sulfur-rich compound made from shale oil that Bayview compounds to a prescriber's order.
Ichthammol, a sulfonated shale oil derivative, is an ingredient used in topical preparations and is among the ingredients historically found in OTC drawing salves for boils.[1] FDA has determined that there is a lack of adequate data to establish general recognition of the safety and effectiveness of ichthammol, or any other ingredient, for OTC treatment of boils, and any OTC product offered for that use is considered a new drug that requires FDA approval.[1]
Ichthammol is also used in veterinary medicine. For example, a 10% ichthammol ointment is authorized in the European Union for use in cattle, horses, donkeys, pigs, sheep, goats, and dogs.[2]
Bayview Pharmacy compounds ichthammol preparations on a prescriber's order.
Compounded at Bayview
Patient guides for the preparations we make most often. Each one is compounded to order and requires a prescription.
For prescribers
Every preparation in our formulary that contains this ingredient. Strength, base and dose form are set by the prescription.
Ichthammol, or ammonium bituminosulfonate, is a dark, tar-smelling, sulfur-rich substance distilled from oil shale, and it is the active ingredient in most products sold as drawing salve. It has been spread on boils, eczema, and psoriasis for more than a century. No ichthammol product is FDA-approved: the 10 to 20% jars sold over the counter are marketed without FDA review, and a compounded ointment is not FDA-approved either. Bayview compounds it when a prescriber orders a specific strength and base.
No, and the confusion is dangerous. Black salve is a corrosive paste made from bloodroot and zinc chloride that destroys whatever tissue it touches. It has been sold as a home remedy for skin cancer, moles, and warts, it has caused disfigurement and delayed cancer diagnoses, and the FDA lists it among illegally sold cancer treatments. Ichthammol contains neither ingredient, does not burn tissue, and is not a treatment for any skin growth. If you are worried about a mole or a sore that will not heal, see a clinician; do not put any salve on it.
Other salt forms of this molecule, and ingredients commonly compounded alongside it.
This page describes an active pharmaceutical ingredient, not a finished drug product. Bayview Pharmacy compounds preparations containing it only on a prescriber's order for an individual patient.
Compounded preparations are not FDA-approved, and the FDA has not evaluated them for safety, effectiveness, or manufacturing quality. Nothing on this page is a claim that any preparation is effective for any condition.
A valid prescription is required. Availability depends on Bayview's licensure in your state. This page is general information, not medical advice — discuss your situation with a licensed healthcare provider.
Our pharmacists work with prescribers to build preparations around a patient's dose, form and tolerances. Ask us what is possible with this ingredient.
