8 ways to cure scabies
with the Healthy Skin Program
What are the ingredients in NATROBA™ Topical Suspension?
Clinical testing of spinosad for curing scabies
How to apply 0.9% spinosad lotion (Natroba™)
If you favor natural treatments or piña coladas, you’ll love spinosad. Why? It is considered a natural product, approved for use in organic agriculture by numerous nations. Spinosad’s “…combination of high efficacy, broad insect pest spectrum, low mammalian toxicity, and sound environmental profile is unique among existing products…”
Spinosad was discovered being produced by a bacteria in the crushed sugar cane of an abandoned rum still in the Virgin Islands. Ivermectin (actually its ancestor avermectin) came from a bacteria found on a Japanese golf course. Interestingly, “Spinosyn A …is comparable to the effect of avermectin on insect neurons.”
Since 1997 it has been used in the USA to kill insects on crops.
In 2021 the FDA approved spinosad for treating scabies. Specifically it approved a 0.9% spinosad cream called Natroba (in patients who are at least four years old).
Natroba™ (0.9% spinosad cream) is a prescription medicine and costs from $75 to $275 for a 4 ounce tube (120 mL). You would use one tube each week. You can use the Natroba™ brochure to try to get your doctor to write a prescription…if they recognize you have scabies.
Pre-measured packets of spinosad concentrate are available here. Each packet can be mixed with 4 ounces of skin lotion to make 4 ounces of 0.9% lotion. Click here to order pre-measured spinosad concentrate (USA and international).
Most garden spinosad sprays are only 0.5% (too weak) and may have various unknown solvents.
Active ingredient: spinosad
Inactive ingredients: water, isopropyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, hexaylene glycol, propylene glycol, cetearyl alcohol, stearalkonium chloride, ceteareth-20, hydroxyethyl cellulose, butylated hydroxytoluene, FD&C yellow #6
From page 6 of FULL PRESCRIBING INFORMATION, NATROBA (spinosad) Topical Suspension 0.9%
You may notice benzyl alcohol in the ingredient list. That is not an ingredient in regular skin lotion.
Spinosad contains a mix of spinosyn A, the major component, and spinosyn D (the minor component), in a roughly 17:3 ratio. So sometimes you’ll see spinosad’s ingredients listing both spinosad A and D percentages. It does not dissolve easily in water so it is sometimes mixed with propylene glycol or other solvents first.
FDA approved since April, 2021.
It is applied once a week. So for a mild case one would apply it on day 1 and day 8. For more stubborn cases one would apply it on days 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 (same as the permethrin schedule shown here). And of course one could simultaneously use either oral ivermectin or moxidectin.
Here are instructions for applying Natroba™ (0.9% spinosad lotion) for scabies:
• Apply enough spinosad lotion to completely cover the body from the neck to the soles of the feet, including the folds of the skin, between fingers and toes, and under fingernails and toenails.
• Balding patients should also apply Natroba™ to the scalp, hairline, temples, and forehead.
• Allow it to soak into the skin and dry for 10 minutes. It is recommended to use a clock or timer after the patient has completely covered their body.
• After 10 minutes, you can get dressed.
• Leave spinosad on for at least 6 hours before showering.
0.9% spinosad is applied once a week for at least two weeks in a row. Some are cured with one treatment, but it’s better to be more sure of a cure by using it twice.
Here are instructions for applying 0.9% spinosad hair conditioner for head lice:
Other things to do:
Wash in hot water or dry-clean all recently worn clothing, hats, used bedding and towels
Wash personal care items such as combs, brushes, and hair clips in hot water
A fine-tooth comb or special nit comb may be used to remove dead lice and nits.
Each packet makes 4 oz (mixed with lotion)
Natroba™ available by prescription
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