Adapalene

Adapalene and tazarotene are topical medications that are formulated to bind the to the RAR without affinity for the RXR. Adapalene is a naphthoic acid derivative that was manufactured to be structurally similar to a naturally occurring hormone, retinoic acid. It works by directly binding to the RAR gamma and beta. A multi-center trial comparing adapalene 0.1% gel to tretinoin 0.025% gel found adapalene to produce a greater decrease in inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesions over a 12-week period. The adapalene group also had significantly less side effects of erythema, scaling, dryness, and burning (39). Adapalene is light stable allowing for daytime use. Adapalene is also resistant to oxidation by benzoyl peroxide. It is available in 0.1% concentration in a cream, solution, pledget, and propylene glycol-based gel.