Hydrophilic bases are mixed with water in any ratio. The following ointment bases are hydrophilic: solutions and gels of polysaccharides; solutions and gels of natural and synthetic polymers; phytosterol gels; gels of clay minerals; solutions and gels of proteins. The advantages of hydrophilic bases are: the possibility of introducing a significant amount of aqueous solutions of medicinal substances; ease of release of medicinal substances, which ensures their high bioavailability; good absorbency into the skin, the bases are easily removed from the application site and washed off with water from the skin. The disadvantages of hydrophilic bases include microbial contamination and rapid drying (this property does not apply to polyethylene oxides), as well as incompatibility with a number of medicinal substances and susceptibility to syneresis, a...