IT IS APPLIED AS A 15% (INDIAN PODOPHYLLUM) OR UP TO A 25% SOLUTION (AMERICAN PODOPHYLLUM) IN ALCOHOL OR COMPOUND BENZOIN TINCTURE, LEFT ON THE WARTS FOR 1 TO 6 HOURS, AND THEN WASHED OFF. THIS PROCEDURE IS CARRIED OUT ONCE A WEEK AND, IF UNSUCCESSFUL AFTER ABOUT 6 WEEKS, AN ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT SHOULD BE TRIED. A PREPARATION CONTAINING PODOPHYLLOTOXIN 0.5% IN ALCOHOL OR ALCOHOLIC GEL, OR A 0.15% PODOPHYLLOTOXIN CREAM IS USED SIMILARLY. THEY ARE APPLIED TWICE DAILY FOR 3 DAYS BUT NOT WASHED OFF. TREATMENT MAY BE REPEATED AT WEEKLY INTERVALS FOR UP TO A TOTAL OF 5 WEEKS OF TREATMENT.PAINTS CONTAINING 10% OR 25% OF PODOPHYLLUM RESIN APPEAR TO BE EQUALLY EFFECTIVE FOR THE TREATMENT OF EXTERNAL ANOGENITAL WARTS. HOWEVER, PREPARATIONS CONTAINING PODOPHYLLOTOXIN 0.5%, THE MAJOR ACTIVE CONSTITUENT OF PODOPHYLLUM RESIN, APPEAR TO BE INITIALLY MORE EFFECTIVE AND UNLIKE PODOPHYLLUM, MAY BE SUITABLE FOR SELF-TREATMENT IN BOTH MEN AND WOMEN.