Selenium sulfide
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Selenium sulfide is an antifungal agent often used in shampoos for the treatment of dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis. In the United States, a 1% strength is available over-the-counter, and a 2.5% strength is also available with a prescription. At the 2.5% strength, selenium sulfide is also used on the body to treat tinea versicolor, a type of fungal skin infection.
[edit] In fiction
In the 2001 film Evolution, Selenium sulfide, as the active ingredient in Head & Shoulders anti-dandruff shampoo (It should be noted that Head & Shoulders uses zinc pyrithione and uses selenium sulfide on its intensive treatment formula), is used to fight the alien menace, on the faulty logic that because arsenic is poisonous to carbon-based humans, selenium must be poisonous to the nitrogen-based aliens, due to their respective positions in the periodic table. However, selenium itself is toxic to humans.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
 |
This pharmacology-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
| Antifungals (D01 and J02) edit | ||
|---|---|---|
| Antibiotics: | Griseofulvin, Hitachimycin, Natamycin, Nystatin | |
| Topical Azoles: | Clotrimazole, Econazole, Fluconazole, Ketoconazole, Miconazole, Oxiconazole, Sertaconazole, Sulconazole, Tioconazole | |
| Other topicals: | Ciclopirox, Ethylparaben, Flucytosine, Salicylic acid, Selenium sulfide, Terbinafine, Tolnaftate | |
| For systemic use: | Amphotericin B, Anidulafungin, Caspofungin, Griseofulvin, Itraconazole, Terbinafine, Voriconazole | |
| Other: | Posaconazole, Thiabendazole, Tea tree oil | |
