Cantharidin
Pronunciation: kan-THAIR-ih-din
A vesicant chemical agent derived from blister beetles, used topically in dermatology to treat molluscum contagiosum and warts.
Full Definition
Cantharidin is an acantholytic vesicant extracted from beetles of the Meloidae family, historically known as 'Spanish fly.' In dermatological practice, it is applied under occlusion to molluscum contagiosum lesions and verrucae, causing controlled blister formation and subsequent lesion destruction. It is not FDA-approved in the United States but is widely used off-label. Editors must be careful not to confuse this with 'cantharadin' (a misspelling) and should note that it is always rendered as one word.
Usage
Usage note: Verify spelling carefully; 'cantharadin' is a common typographic error. Confirm regulatory status language when editing US publications, as cantharidin lacks FDA approval.
In Context
- "Cantharidin 0.7% solution was applied to each molluscum lesion and occluded for four hours." — Procedural note
- "The manuscript incorrectly spelled 'cantharidin' as 'cantharadin' throughout the methods section." — Copy-editing annotation