A comparative evaluation of levamisole in leprosy.

ABSTRACT

Ninety adult leprosy patients attending the skin outpatient department of Institute Hospital of Varanasi, India, were selected for the study. A group of thirty patients including 10 cases of lepromatous, 10 of borderline and 10 cases in reaction of which 5 were of type 1 and 5 of type II reaction were treated with levamisole and DDS. Levamisole was given in the doses of 150 mg. daily for three consecutive days which was repeated after every 12 days. The effects were compared with two similar groups receiving clofazimine plus DDS and DDS alone respectively for six months. It was observed that levamisole was useful in bringing down both the types of reactions in a period shorter than required by clofazimine. Clinical improvement in non-reaction cases was found to be similar in all the three groups. Minor side effects were also seen with levamisole and clofazimine in some cases.