CIMETIDINE IN THE TREATMENT OF PORPHYRIA-CUTANEA-TARDA

The efficacy of the H-2 receptor antagonist, cimetidine, in the treatm ent of a patient with porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) was evaluated. Aft er administration of cimetidine for 2 weeks, urinary excretion of urop orphyrin (UP) and coproporphyrin (CP) was significantly decreased. Uri nary porphyrin levels remained low even after the cessation of cimetid ine for 1 week. Although the readministration of cimetidine did not de crease porphyrin excretion, skin lesions were markedly improved, and s erum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), aminotransferases and serum ferritin decreased to the normal range. These results suggest that, in addition to efficacy in the treatment of acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) and erythropoietic protoporpyria (EPP), cimetidine is effective in the treatment of PCT.