Could a common painkiller gel soothe your itch?
NCT ID NCT03997851
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This small study tested whether a gel made from acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol) can relieve itching. Seventeen healthy volunteers received different strengths of the gel or a placebo on their skin, then had itch triggered by two different methods. The goal was to see if the gel reduced itch intensity compared to placebo.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- acetaminophen gel
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a new over-the-counter option for itch relief, especially for types of itch that antihistamines don't help.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early proof-of-concept study in only 17 healthy people, not patients with chronic itch. The results may not apply to real-world itching conditions.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Phase 1/2
Runs two stages together: safety and dose first, then whether the treatment works.
- Participants
-
17 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Jul 2019
- Finished
-
Mar 2020
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 to 50 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Healthy subjects must be between 18 and 50 years of age. 2. Must be in general good health with no disease or physical conditions that would impair evaluation of itch and pain perception. 3. No history of chronic itch or pain. 4. Must abstain from the use of any systemic or topical anti-histamine, steroid, or pain relief medications from the week prior to the study till the completion of the study. 5. Must abstain from the use of moisturizers on the arms 24 hours before study visits. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Individuals under 18 or over 50 years of age. 2. Inability to complete the required measures. 3. The presence of an itchy skin disease. 4. Diagnosis of diseased that would affect itch or pain perception (e.g. neuropathies). 5. Currently enrolled in any investigational study in which the subject is receiving any type of drug, biological, or non-drug therapy. 6. Use of oral, topical analgesics, or other medications known to interfere with itch or pain perception in the week prior to the study and throughout the study (e.g. antihistamines, anesthetics, opioids, neuroleptics, etc.). 7. Use of emollients on the arms a week prior to the study and throughout the study. 8. Known allergies to acetaminophen and cowhage. 9. Pregnant women. (Women of child bearing potential will undergo an hCG pregnancy test). 10. Currently incarcerated.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
University of Miami
Miami, Florida, 33136, United States
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