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Rapid reversal of hyperpigmentation in pityriasis versicolor upon short‐term topical cycloserine application
Author(s) -
Mayser Peter,
Rieche Inga
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
mycoses
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.13
H-Index - 69
eISSN - 1439-0507
pISSN - 0933-7407
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0507.2009.01784.x
Subject(s) - pityriasis , depigmentation , hyperpigmentation , dermatology , medicine , cycloserine , pathology , tuberculosis
Summary The clinical phenomena of pityriasis versicolor (PV), a common Malassezia ‐associated skin disease, such as hyperpigmentation, depigmentation and fluorescence of the lesions may at least partly be explained by the generation of Trp‐derived indole pigments through the action of transaminase 1 (TAM 1). Cycloserine, a TAM inhibitor, was able to completely inhibit pigment production in M. furfur in vitro in a dose‐dependent manner. Application of a 0.2‐mol l −1 aqueous cycloserine solution b.i.d. for 5 days in three patients with hyperpigmented PV resulted in complete healing within 3–5 days without side‐effects. Topically applied TAM inhibitors may therefore represent a new therapeutic principle for prophylaxis and therapy of PV, thus underlining the importance of the TAM pathway for the pathogenesis of the disease.