Acitretin
Acitretin (Soriatane) is an oral retinoid used for severe plaque psoriasis. This catalogue contains one Soriatane listing for people seeking a clear overview of the ingredient and its safety information.
Key points
- Pregnancy prevention is required: acitretin must not be used during pregnancy or by women who cannot use reliable contraception throughout treatment and for at least three years after stopping.
- Ethanol and etretinate: ethanol taken with acitretin has been linked to formation of etretinate, a related substance that remains in the body for longer.
- Elimination time: acitretin has a terminal elimination half-life of 49 hours; cis-acitretin’s is 63 hours under the same conditions.
What acitretin is used for
Acitretin is used for severe psoriasis in adults. The single Soriatane listing is linked to Plaque Psoriasis, and acitretin is the main metabolite, meaning a substance formed in the body, of etretinate, a related retinoid.
Further reading
Related articles
28 Jul 2026 ⋅ 8 min read
Psoriasis: From Creams to Systemic Treatment, and What Comes First
Psoriasis cannot be cured but is very treatable, and treatment escalates in a deliberate order. What each tier does, why the joints matter as much as the skin, and the triggers worth knowing.
Read guide