Treatment of mouse carcinomas with intratumoral injections of hematoporphyrin derivative and red light.

Hairless mice with subcutaneously transplanted Lewis Lung carcinomas were used to study the effects of treatments with hematoporphyrin derivative (HPD) administered by intratumoral injection, followed by exposure to red light. A tumor cure rate of 70-90% was obtained following a single treatment. The therapeutic response increased with increasing HPD doses and light fluences. At a certain dose a plateau seemed to be reached, where further dose increase only gave a limited gain in treatment response. A narrow range seems to exist between beginning therapeutic response and frank necrotic destruction. The number of mice that died after treatment increased with increase in tumor size, and there was a correspondence between the time of death and the severity of the phototoxic reactions. The best therapeutic response was obtained when the irradiation was performed 1/2-1 h after injection, and with tumors less than 6-8 mm in diameter.

Combined UVB and UVA phototherapy of atopic eczema.

The effect of combined UVB-UVA treatment in a group of 23 patients with severe atopic eczema was compared to UVB therapy alone in 33 patients. Mean age and number of treatments were approximately the same in the two groups. With UVB-UVA treatment, 48% achieved complete remission and in another 48% good improvements were obtained as compared to 27 and 58%, respectively, in the group treated with UVB alone. A few failures were recorded in the UVB group. Some possible explanations for the better effect of the combined UVB-UVA treatment are given.

[Treatment of acne vulgaris. Double-blind study of a combination of 5% benzoyl peroxide/2% miconazole (Acnidazil) and tretinoin 0.05%]. / Behandlung von Acne Vulgaris. Doppelblind-Studie zwischen einer Kombination 5% Benzoyl-Peroxid/2% Miconazol (Acnidazil) und Tretinoin 0,05%.

The clinical efficacy and tolerance of a combination of benzoyl peroxide 5% and miconazole 2%, Acnidazil, for the treatment of facial acne vulgaris have been compared with those of tretinoin 0.05% in a double-blind study with 40 patients during 12 weeks. The combination of benzoyl peroxide and miconazole gave improvement in 82% of 22 patients, compared to tretinoin which gave improvement in 50% of 18 comparable patients. The difference is significant. Also, side-effects were significantly less in the benzoyl-miconazole group than in the tretinoin group.

Trichophyton-rubrum-infected toenails treated with ketoconazole and partial nail avulsion.

30 patients with totally 178 toenails infected with Trichophyton rubrum were randomly treated with ketoconazole alone for 4 months (group A) or in combination with chemical nail avulsion (group B). Of the 14 patients in group A who completed the treatment, 4 (28%) were cured 6 months later, compared to 8 (53%) of 15 patients in group B. In 4 cases, transient elevated hepatofunction enzymes occurred. Gastrointestinal disturbances caused withdrawal in 1 case.

Phototoxicity from furocoumarins (psoralens) of Heracleum laciniatum in a patient with vitiligo. Action spectrum studies on bergapten, pimpinellin, angelicin and sphondin.

Investigations on light reactions in a patient with vitiligo are presented. The minimal erythema dose (MED) in the UVB area was approximately 1/3 of that in persons of skin type II. The application of furocoumarins (psoralens) increased light tolerance by 1 MED at 300-310 nm. Action spectrum studies with furocoumarins from Heracleum laciniatum showed the following order of potency: bergapten, pimpinellin, angelicin and sphondin. The efficacy was highest at 325-350 nm, with maxima at 330-335 nm. Pimpinellin was recently found to be phototoxic, but an action spectrum of sphondin is reported for the first time.

In vivo and in vitro phototoxicity of different parts of Heracleum laciniatum.

Experimental phytophotodermatitis was produced using homogenates from different parts of Heracleum laciniatum and long-wave ultraviolet light. The homogenates of leaves and flowers produced strong phototoxic reactions, fruit slightly less. Stems were either non-phototoxic or only slightly phototoxic. The roots of young plants did not evoke photosensitivity reactions, whereas the roots of older plants were strongly phototoxic; even roots collected from the frozen ground in December elicited strong reactions. Abdominal and midback skin were more photosensitive than skin of the lateral aspects of the underarms and legs.

Photochemical reactions of Heracleum laciniatum. Influence of dimethyl sulphoxide and corticosteroids.

Phytophotodermatitis of Heracleum laciniatum is quite common in Tromsø during the summer months. The clinical picture varies from mild to severe erythematous reactions with or without vesicles or bullae on the exposed parts of the body. Phototoxic reactions of Heracleum laciniatum are reported. The influences on phototoxic reactions by bergapten (5-methoxypsoralen) and UV-A by treating the skin with a membrane labilizing agent, dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO), and a membrane stabilizing agent, the steroid desoximethasone, are evaluated.

Phototoxic and contact toxic reactions of the exocarp of sweet oranges: a common cause of cheilitis?

Irritant skin reactions were produced within 1 h after application of the exocarp of sweet oranges or alcoholic extracts therefrom. Such reactions faded within 48 h. The exocarp, or extracts thereof, induced phototoxic reactions which were strongest at 72 h after exposure. The phototoxic reactions were only induced in natural blondes and only with some oranges. The in vivo phototoxic reactions were confirmed in vitro, causing a slight but clear photo-inhibition of Candida albicans. Only some oranges inhibited growth.

A case of chronic urticaria and vitiligo, associated with thyroiditis, treated with PUVA.

A case of chronic urticaria and vitiligo, associated with thyroiditis is described. Significantly elevated thyromicrosomal antibodies were found. Autoimmune reaction is a possible cause of the patient's thyroid disease, vitiligo and chronic urticaria. Following PUVA treatment with a total dose of 300 J/cm2 the patient's urticaria subsided in all irradiated areas, only to relapse 2 weeks later. Subsequently courses of PUVA gave periods of remission. The treatment also induced repigmentation in the vitiliginous spots. The results indicate a local PUVA effect upon mediators or mediator-containing cells.

Successful treatment of actinic reticuloid induced by whole-body topical application of mechlorethamine.

A man suffering from actinic reticuloid for 2 years showed highly abnormal light sensitivity over a broad action spectrum. He has been successfully treated with daily whole-body topical applications of mechlorethamine, initially for 4 weeks and after a 2-month interruption, for 3 weeks. Gauzes moistened with the same solution were placed over lichenified areas for 10-15 min. His skin became normal pale and the lichenification decreased. After treatment his tolerance for daylight increased.