Preparation of Malathion 0.5% Lotion and Studying its Effect on Healing Scabies Compared With Permethrin Cream 5%

Background and Scabies is caused by a mite called Sarcoptes scabiei and can be spread from person to person through skin contact. In this study, we have analyzed the effect of Malathion lotion 0.5% and compared that with the effect of Permethrin cream 0.5%. In a randomized clinical trial 60 patients were divided into two groups to receive either Permethrin cream 5% or Malathion lotion 0.5%. Both groups were monitored every two weeks for one month. The qualitative data of both groups were compared using student t-test and chi-square test was applied to analyze the qualitative data. There was no significant difference between the two groups in number of lesions at the begging of the study (P=0.1503). Also, no significant difference was seen in weeks two and four. But Malathion lotion was found to be more efficient than Permethrin (P=0.0163) in reducing the number of lesions; although the results were better in week four, but the difference was not significant (P=0.2940). This study showed high efficacy of Malathion 5% in treating scabies.