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Topical glyceryl trinitrate: a possible treatment for cutaneous leishmaniasis
Author(s) -
ZEINA B.,
BANFIELD C.,
ALASSAD S.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
clinical and experimental dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.587
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1365-2230
pISSN - 0307-6938
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2230.1997.tb01079.x
Subject(s) - medicine , cutaneous leishmaniasis , dermatology , leishmaniasis , immunology
Summary The treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is difficult in both the old and new worlds. However, nitric oxide (NO) is involved in host cell mediated immune responses against intracellular parasites such as Leish‐mania major , and both in vitro and in vivo immunological studies indicate that Leishmania parasite killing‐ by macrophages is mediated by this substance. Glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) is an exogenous NO donor; we have successfully treated a young man with cutaneous leishmaniasis with topical GTN. We believe this to be the first reported use of GTN in the treatment of human CL. Cutancous leishmaniasis (CL) is prevalent in the Middle East and poses a difficult therapeutic problem. 1 GTN is known to be an exogenous donor of nitric oxide (NO). 2 Previous studies have indicated that the killing of Leishmania parasites by macrophages is mediated by NO. 3–5 We have therefore treated a young man with CI. with topical GTN.