How Scabies Medications Work

Scabies is a parasitic infection caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei. The gold standard treatment for scabies is permethrin cream, which works by killing the mites and their eggs on contact.

• Permethrin Cream: Permethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid that acts as an acaricide, disrupting the mite's nervous system and causing death. It also has some ovicidal activity, killing the eggs of the mites.

Alternatives to permethrin cream include ivermectin, lindane lotion, and crotamiton. These medications work in different ways:

• Ivermectin: Ivermectin is an antiparasitic medication that works by binding to the glutamate-gated chloride channel of the mite's nervous system, causing hyperpolarization and death.
• Lindane Lotion: Lindane is a neurotoxin that disrupts the mite's nervous system, causing convulsions and death.
• Crotamiton: Crotamiton is an antipruritic medication that works by reducing itching and inflammation, but it does not kill the mites. It is often used in combination with other treatments to reduce symptoms.