ADDITIVE EFFECTS OF CALCIPOTRIOL AND CYCLOSPORINE-A - FROM IN-VITRO EXPERIMENTS TO IN-VIVO APPLICATIONS IN THE TREATMENT OF SEVERE PSORIASIS

We report that calcipotriol (CPT) is a potent inhibitor of lymphocyte proliferation in mixed epidermal cell lymphocyte reactions. In this mo del, CPT and cyclosporine A (CsA) have synergistic effects. These resu lts have led to a randomised double-blind therapeutic study protocol i n patients with severe psoriasis. In these patients, topical CPT and s ub-therapeutic doses of CsA (2mg/kg/d) induce disappearance of cutaneo us lesions. This therapeutic association may minimize secondary side e ffects of both drugs.