For the mineral, see calamine (mineral), for other uses of the word, see calamine (disambiguation).

Calamine is a mixture of zinc oxide (ZnO) with about 0.5% iron(III) oxide (Fe₂O₃). It is the main ingredient in calamine lotion and is used as an antipruritic (anti-itching agent) to treat mild pruritic conditions such as sunburn, eczema, rashes, poison ivy, chickenpox, insect bites and stings.It is also used as a mild antiseptic to prevent infections that can be caused by scratching the affected area, and an astringent to dry weeping or oozing blisters and acne abscesses.

In 1992, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that no proof that had been submitted that 415 drug ingredients were effective on the conditions claimed, including the main ingredients in calamine (zinc oxide and iron(III) oxide) for use on bug bites, stings, and the rashes from poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac.

See also

• Calamine (mineral), or hemimorphite, an ore of zinc
• Calamine brass, an early method of making brass, by reacting copper metal with calamine zinc ore.

References

External links

• Calamine MSDS
• Introduction to zinc and its uses