Successful treatment of lupoid cutaneous leishmaniasis with glucantime and topical trichloroacetic acid (a case report)

Synergic Effect of Allopurinol in Combination with Nitroheterocyclic Compounds against Trypanosoma cruzi

Combination therapy has gained attention as a possible strategy for overcoming the limitations of the present therapeutic arsenal for Chagas disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of allopurinol in association with nitroheterocyclic compounds on infection with the Y strain of Trypanosoma cruzi The in vitro effect of allopurinol plus benznidazole or nifurtimox on intracellular amastigotes in infected H9c2 cells was assessed in a 72-h assay. The interactions were classified as synergic for both allopurinol-nifurtimox (sums of fractional inhibitory concentrations [∑FICs] = 0.49 ± 0.08) and allopurinol-benznidazole (∑FICs = 0.48 ± 0.09). In the next step, infected Swiss mice were treated with allopurinol at 30, 60, and 90 mg/kg of body weight and with benznidazole at 25, 50, and 75 mg/kg in monotherapy and in combination at the same doses; as a reference treatment, another group of animals received benznidazole at 100 mg/kg. Allopurinol in monotherapy led to a smaller or nil effect in the reduction of parasite load and mortality rate. Treatment with benznidazole at suboptimal doses induced a transient suppression of parasitaemia with subsequent relapse in all animals treated with 25 and 50 mg/kg and in 80% of those that received 75 mg/kg. Administration of the drugs in combination significantly increased the cure rate to 60 to 100% among mice treated with benznidazole at 75 mg/kg plus 30, 60, or 90 mg/kg of allopurinol. These results show a positive interaction between allopurinol and benznidazole, and since both drugs are commercially available, their use in combination may be considered for the assessment in the treatment of Chagas disease patients.

Comparison of Lesion Improvement in Lupoid Leishmaniasis Patients with Two Treatment Approaches

Background:

There are several therapies for treating lupoid leishmaniasis. We compared the effectiveness of intralesional meglumine antimoniate (MA) and topical application of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) 50% solution.

Methods:

This study was a randomized clinical trial comprising 60 lupoid leishmaniasis patients. The first group received intralesional MA once a week, and the second group was treated once weekly with TCA 50% topical solution. The results were recorded once after 8 weeks and then 3 months after the termination of treatment.

Results:

The total clearance rates after treatment and after the 3-month follow-up were, respectively, 48.1% and 40% in the first group and 44.4% and 36.6% in the second group. There was no significant difference between the two treatment groups ( p = .25 and p = .26). In both groups, the most common side effect was scarring.

Conclusion:

Having almost the same efficacies, TCA as a topical approach could be as effective as MA in the lupoid leishmaniasis treatment plan.