Premium
Vitamin D analogues and psoriasis
Author(s) -
BERTHJONES J.,
HUTCHINSON P.E.
Publication year - 1992
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.1365-2133.1992.tb08035.x
Subject(s) - psoriasis , calcipotriol , dithranol , calcitriol , vitamin d and neurology , medicine , dermatology , mechanism of action , intertriginous , cytokine , pharmacology , keratinocyte , endocrinology , immunology , chemistry , disease , in vitro , biochemistry
Summary Topical vitamin D analogues offer a new, effective, more convenient and generally well‐tolerated option for the treatment of psoriasis. Only psoriasis vulgaris has been intensively studied, but other forms of the disease may also respond. Both calcitriol and calcipotriol have been shown to be effective in numerous clinical trials, and the latter has compared well with betamethasone valerate and shortcontact dithranol in controlled studies. Their mechanism of action is not yet fully understood and may prove complex. The most important effect may be a direct regulation of keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation. However, these compounds also have potent immunological properties, and may act by inhibition of cytokine production by keratinocytes or lymphocytes. Topical application of vitamin D analogues appears generally to be remarkably safe, but hypercalcaemia and hypercalciuria may develop if large quantities are used.