A NEW PSORALEN-CONTAINING GEL FOR TOPICAL PUVA THERAPY - DEVELOPMENT,AND TREATMENT RESULTS IN PATIENTS WITH PALMOPLANTAR AND PLAQUE-TYPE PSORIASIS, AND HYPERKERATOTIC ECZEMA

Topical photochemotherapy with psoralen and its derivatives 4, 5',8-tr imethylpsoralen (TMP) and 8-methoxypsoralen (8-MOP), with UVA irradiat ion, was evaluated with regard to minimum phototoxic dose, concentrati on, timing of UVA irradiation and systemic and local side-effects, in healthy volunteers. Psoralen (0.005%) in aqueous gel was found to be s uperior to TMP and 8-MOP in aqueous gel. No hyperpigmentation was seen after topical PUVA treatment with psoralen in aqueous gel. Patients w ith plaque-type psoriasis (n=7), palmoplantar psoriasis (n=7) and hype rkeratotic eczema (n=2) were treated. Topical PUVA therapy was effecti ve in most psoriasis patients, without the occurrence of local or syst emic side-effects. Moreover, hyperkeratotic eczema patients who did no t respond to conventional therapy showed partial remission. These resu lts indicate that topical PUVA therapy with psoralen in aqueous gel is a useful therapeutic modality for treatment of psoriasis patients, an d patients with recalcitrant dermatoses such as palmoplantar psoriasis and hyperkeratotic eczema.