The invention relates to osmolyte-containing preparations for the local treatment of dry mucous membranes. The use of osmolytes for producing a medicament, medical product, or cosmetic product for preventing, treating, and/or nourishing dry mucous membranes is described. The invention relates to topical compositions based on osmolytes to which sodium chloride and/or moisturizer can be optionally added. The group of osmolytes mentioned in the invention comprises various low-molecular substances, in particular ectoine, homoectoine, hydroxyectoine, di-myo-inositol phosphate (DIP), cyclic 2, 3-diphosphoglycerate (cDPG), 1,1-diglycerol phosphate (DGP), ß-mannosylglycerate (firoin), ß-mannosylglyceramide (firoin-A), dimannosyl di-inositol phosphate (DMIP), glucosylglycerol, and/or a derivative, e.g. an acid, salt, or ester, of said compounds.
