xzema
Research map, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor, especially for infants.
All treatments
STRONG EVIDENCE

Tacrolimus (Protopic)

Also discussed as: tacrolimus, Tacrolimus, protopic, Protopic, protopic ointment, Protopic ointment

Tacrolimus is recognized for its effectiveness in treating atopic dermatitis and improving skin barrier function. It may be particularly beneficial for cases that are challenging to manage with topical corticosteroids.
Evidence grade · papers only

STRONG EVIDENCE

8 level-I · 19 level-II · 8 level-IV · 1 level-III · 5 level-VII

Research base (design-resolved): 8 systematic review/meta-analysis, 19 randomized trials, 9 observational/descriptive.

Community interest · posts only

high · 13,302 mentions

Most discussed for: topical_prescription, oral_medication, other

What the research says

Tacrolimus significantly improved multiple measures of skin barrier function and structure.

Beck et al. (2022), JID Innovations. doi:10.1016/j.xjidi.2022.100131 · verified

Tacrolimus ointment can be expected to show a high level of effectiveness for AD-related eruption.

Katoh et al. (2020), Allergology International. doi:10.1016/j.alit.2020.02.006 · verified

Tacrolimus is effective in treating atopic dermatitis.

Kumar et al. (2019), International Journal of Molecular Sciences. doi:10.3390/ijms20092159 · verified

Tacrolimus showed superiority over pimecrolimus and corticosteroids.

Nankervis et al. (2016), Programme Grants for Applied Research. doi:10.3310/pgfar04070 · verified

Tacrolimus 0.1% was better than low-potency corticosteroids and pimecrolimus 1% for atopic dermatitis. (n=371)

Cury‐Martins et al. (2015), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. doi:10.1002/14651858.cd009864.pub2 · verified

Tacrolimus is effective in reducing the severity of atopic dermatitis. (n=1234)

Ashcroft et al. (2005), BMJ. doi:10.1136/bmj.38376.439653.d3 · verified

Tacrolimus appears to be more effective than placebo and mild topical corticosteroids. (n=1602)

Garside et al. (2005), Health Technology Assessment. doi:10.3310/hta9290 · verified

What the community reports

Experience reports, not evidence. Volumes from 1.1M triaged posts.

  • topical_prescription
  • oral_medication
  • other
  • lifestyle_change

Safety and side effects

Some patients may experience a burning sensation, which can be transient or common.

For infants and children

Tacrolimus is approved for use in children aged 2 years and older.

Studied protocols

As reported in the papers, not recommendations.

dose: 0.1%; route: topical

How et al. (2020), Frontiers in Pharmacology

dose: 100 mg; frequency: daily; route: topical; duration: 3 weeks

Kim et al. (2014), PLoS ONE

dose: target levels 10–15 ng/mL; route: oral

Agakidis et al. (2019), Frontiers in Pediatrics

dose: 0.03%; route: topical

Kim et al. (2024), International Journal of Molecular Sciences

dose: 0.03% ointment; frequency: once daily; route: topical; duration: two weeks

Long et al. (2025), Microorganisms

route: topical

Kim et al. (2019), Allergy and Asthma Proceedings

Drawn from 40 papers · generated 2026-06-11T12:40:29.601218+00:00 · phrasing by gpt-4o-mini, every number computed from the database and every citation machine-verified.