Editing Eschar (section)

==Escharotic==
An ''escharotic'' is a substance that kills unwanted or diseased tissue, usually skin or superficial growths like warts, leaving them to [[Sloughing|slough]] off. Examples include:<br>
* inorganic reagents, such as strong acids and alkalis, or [[cytotoxic]] salts of [[heavy metals]], for example zinc or silver
* organic compounds such as [[sanguinarine]], [[salicylic acid]], and certain medicines like [[imiquimod]]
* Irritant or corrosive fluids from plants, such as [[latex]] or [[resin]]s from various species of ''[[Ficus]]'', ''[[Euphorbia]]'', ''[[Carica]]'', or ''[[Taraxacum]]''
* [[refrigerant]]s, which kill the tissue by freezing; examples include liquid nitrogen, solid [[carbon dioxide]], and its solution in [[diethyl ether|ether]] 

Escharotics have long been used in medicine. In conventional modern practice some still are useful for topical treatment of growths such as warts. For lack of anything better in the past, escharotics once were more widely used, and for example, popular products included so-called [[black salve]]s, with ingredients such as [[zinc chloride]], plus sanguinarine in the form of bloodroot extract. These and others were traditional as topical treatments for localised skin cancers in [[herbal medicine]]. They combined unreliability in eradication of the cancer, with harmful effects such as scarring, serious injury, and disfigurement. Consequently escharotic salves now are strictly regulated in most western countries, and available on prescription only. Some prosecutions have been pursued over unlicensed sales of escharotic products such as [[Cansema]].