Article: Imiquimod

Imiquimod
Systematic (IUPAC) name
1-isobutyl-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]quinolin-4-amine
Identifiers
CAS number	99011-02-6
ATC code	D06BB10
PubChem	57469
DrugBank	APRD01030
Chemical data
Formula	C14H16N4
Mol. weight	240.304 g/mol
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability	?
Metabolism	?
Half life	20 hours (topical dose), 2 hours (subcutaneous dose)
Excretion	?
Therapeutic considerations
Pregnancy cat.	B1 (Au), C (U.S.)
Legal status	POM (UK), ℞-only (U.S.)
Routes	Topical

Imiquimod (INN, marketed by 3M under the trade name Aldara™) is a prescription medication used to treat certain diseases of the skin, including skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma, Bowen's disease, superficial squamous cell carcinoma, some superfical malignant melanomas and actinic keratosis) as well as genital warts. It has also been tested for treatment of Molluscum contagiosum. It causes interferon production which triggers the patients immune response against these tumors. Aldara is a patient-applied cream that can cause side effects such as redness and irritatation of the skin during treatment. It is also used pre-operatively to shrink basal cell cancer before Mohs surgery.