Vitamin A1 acid; retinal in which the terminal –CHO has been oxidized to a –COOH; used topically in the treatment of acne; plays an important role in growth and differentiation. SYN: vitamin A1 acid.
- 13-cis-r. the retinoid most used in the U.S. to treat acne; it works by reducing sebum secretion. Use in pregnancy is contraindicated because of teratogenicity.
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ret·i·no·ic acid .ret-ən-.ō-ik- n either of two isomers of an acid C20H28O2 derived from vitamin A and used esp. in the treatment of acne:
a) or all-trans-retinoic acid TRETINOIN
b) or 13-cis-retinoic acid ISOTRETINOIN
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ret·i·no·ic ac·id (ret″ĭ-noґik) an oxidized derivative of retinol, formed by carboxylation of the aldehyde group of retinal (q.v.). It is believed to be the form of vitamin A that plays a role in the development and growth of bone and in the maintenance of normal epithelial structures. In pharmacology, the term is often used alone to mean the all-trans isomer (tretinoin); the 13-cis isomer is usually called isotretinoin.Medical dictionary. 2011.