Negatan is a product that is no longer commercially available except through compounding pharmacies. Negatan was the brand name for polyphenol sulfonic acid complex – a medication that is particularly effective for treating oral ulcers. Mouth ulcers, also called canker sores, are a common condition and one that is frequently reported to dentists. There are few effective treatments for canker sores that can relieve the pain of the sore and almost no treatments that actually help heal the ulcers faster. With the help of a compounding pharmacy, dentists and other healthcare providers can prescribe polyphenol sulfonic acid to their patients and help them get relief from painful recurrent oral ulcers.
What are Mouth Ulcers?
Oral ulcers/aphthous ulcers/canker sores appear white, yellow, or red and can appear singly or with several at the same time. They can occur anywhere on the oral mucosa or the lips. The exact cause of these ulcers is not known however triggers for them are better understood. Triggers may include injuries to the mouth, low levels of nutrients like iron and vitamin B12, hormonal changes, food sensitivities, and more.
If you get canker sores more than 3 times per year you may be diagnosed with chronic or recurrent aphthous ulcers. In some cases, frequent canker sores can be a sign of an underlying condition if another cause is not known. Viral infections, for example, may result in oral ulcers.
Treating and Preventing Mouth Ulcers
If oral ulcers occur regularly and are not the result of some injury to the mouth, a change in diet or lifestyle may help reduce their occurrence. Adding iron, vitamin B12, lysine, and making other diet changes depending on the individual can all help reduce the occurrence of oral ulcers.
Treatments for oral ulcers may include mouth rinses, troches, gels, pastes, and more. Typically the only over-the-counter treatments available are used to numb the area while it heals. Numbing products can be effective at easing the pain of the canker sores but they do not speed the healing process. Oral rinses may contain tetracycline, corticosteroids, and anesthetics. Oral treatments with some of the same ingredients used in topicals may be used if the sores are particularly severe or there are systemic symptoms.
Polyphenol Sulfonic Acid Treatment for Ulcers
In studies of polyphenol sulfonic acid complex for treating ulcers, it has been shown that the treatment is effective for many patients. Because of how the complex works there are very few patients for whom the treatment will not work. The solution will burn initially upon application. After the initial burning wears off however, the canker sore is cauterized and there will be significant pain relief.
Typically only one treatment with polyphenol sulfonic acid complex is required; however some patients may require an additional treatment. After the treatment, the tissue will start to heal so normal oral tissue will grow. This process is a type of focused debridement of tissue that speeds up the process of the immune system healing the sore. If you are comparing the ability for a treatment to heal a canker sore – there is no comparison to Negatan/polyphenol sulfonic acid complex.
In a trial that included a placebo group, the majority of patients in the treatment group experienced greater relief of symptoms at 3 days (>70%) than in the placebo group (<20%). The results were based both on clinical measurement of the sores as well as subjective evaluation of patient symptoms. It is important to note that after 10 days, all of the sores were healed. This means that left untreated, canker sores will almost always heal within around 10 days. However the difference can be up to a week less suffering from oral sores.
Any patient who is looking to treat their canker sores with polyphenol sulfonic acid complex should mention the product to their doctor and its availability from compounding pharmacies. Typically the treatment can be done in one visit to the doctor’s office. After patients experience a treatment with this formulation, they frequently request it when they get sores again as the treatment is effective at reducing the pain of the sore and the time it takes to heal.
Articles
An evaluation of a chemical cautery agent and an anti-inflammatory ointment for the treatment of recurrent aphthous stomatitis: a pilot study – Quintessence International