The World Health Organization's ATC classification organizes medical drugs based on therapeutic properties, chemical composition, and anatomy. It helps make essential medicines readily available globally and is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry.
| Level | Code | Title | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | D | Dermatologicals | |
| 2 | D02 | Emollients and protectives | |
| 3 | D02B | Protectives against UV-radiation | |
| 4 | D02BA | Protectives against UV-radiation for topical use | |
| 5 | D02BA01 | Aminobenzoic acid |
| Active Ingredient | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| 4-Aminobenzoic acid |
4-aminobenzoic acid (also known as para-aminobenzoic acid or PABA because the two functional groups are attached to the benzene ring across from one another in the para position) is an aminobenzoic acid in which the amino group is para to the carboxy group. PABA is an intermediate in the synthesis of folate by bacteria, plants, and fungi. The potassium salt is used as a drug against fibrotic skin disorders, such as Peyronie’s disease. PABA is also occasionally used in pill form by sufferers of irritable bowel syndrome to treat its associated gastrointestinal symptoms, and in nutritional epidemiological studies to assess the completeness of 24-hour urine collection for the determination of urinary sodium, potassium, or nitrogen levels. |
