The topical treatment of anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis with the tincture of thioxolone plus benzoxonium chloride ( T hio‐ B en) along with cryotherapy: a single‐blind randomized clinical trial

A simple efficacious topical treatment for cutaneous leishmaniasis ( CL ) is still an unresolved challenge. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the topical use of thioxolone plus benzoxonium chloride ( T hio‐ B en) tincture in combination with cryotherapy in comparison with intralesional meglumine antimoniate (Glucantime) along with cryotherapy in treating anthroponotic CL ( ACL ). The study was conducted in L eishmaniasis C enter in D adbin H ealth C are C linic, K erman, I ran. Sixty‐four CL lesions were randomly assigned to receive T hio‐ B en plus cryotherapy ( TC ) ( n = 32) or Glucantime plus cryotherapy ( GC ) ( n = 32). T hio‐ B en was used topically every other day and Glucantime was used intralesionally once a week for a maximum of 3 months. In both study groups, cryotherapy was administered using liquid nitrogen once every 2 weeks. Of 64 recruited lesions, 47 lesions completed the study protocol. Twenty lesions (91%) in TC group and 23 lesions (92%) in GC group showed complete cure. TC group showed faster clinical response. Pain, hypersensitivity reaction, dizziness, and nausea were only seen in GC group. This study showed that the topical use of T hio‐ B en combined with cryotherapy has a good efficacy in treating ACL with the benefit that T hio‐ B en has more patient compliance and less side effects than intralesional Glucantime.