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Levamisole therapy for multiple warts
Author(s) -
MONCADA BENJAMIN,
RODRIGUEZ MARIA LUISA
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
british journal of dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.304
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1365-2133
pISSN - 0007-0963
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2133.1979.tb05627.x
Subject(s) - levamisole , rosette (schizont appearance) , in vitro , rosette formation , medicine , immune system , verruca vulgaris , cellular immunity , incubation , in vivo , immunostimulant , immunology , biology , dermatology , receptor , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology
SUMMARY Levamisole, a wide‐spectrum antiparasitic drug, increases cellular immunity in vivo and in vitro. Patients with verruca vulgaris may have defective cell mediated immune mechanisms. Levamisole was given to twenty‐two patients with multiple warts, 5 mg/kg body weight on 3 consecutive days every fortnight. Patients’ lymphocytes were studied for E‐rosette formation before therapy. E‐rosette counts were lower in patients compared with controls and a significant increase was obtained after in vitro incubation with levamisole. Seventeen patients were cured in 1–4 months, there were four failures and one patient showed marked improvement. It is concluded that patients with multiple warts have defective cell‐mediated mechanisms as far as the E‐rosette count is concerned and that levamisole increases in vitro E‐rosette formation and is useful in the treatment of these patients.