title: Topical liposomal azithromycin in the treatment of acute cutaneous leishmaniasis.
abstract: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) treatment is based on pentavalant antimony (sbv) drugs which are accompanied by many side effects and are facing ever-increasing resistance. Topical treatment of CL is an attractive alternative avoiding toxicities of parenteral therapy while being administered through a simple painless route. The liposomal formulations of different drugs have recently been increasingly used in the treatment of several types of leishmaniasis. The efficacy of a topical liposomal azithromycin formulation was compared with intralesional meglumine antimoniate (glucantime) in the treatment of CL. Sixty-six patients with 97 lesions who met our inclusion criteria were randomly divided into two groups. One group was administered with the topical liposomal form of azithromycin twice daily. The other group was treated by weekly intralesional injections of glucantime with a volume of 0.5-2 cm3 into each lesion till complete blanching of the lesion occurred. Clinical evaluations were performed weekly during the treatment course (8 weeks) by a single dermatologist for both groups. Per-protocol analysis showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.84, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.764 (0.714-0.821). Serious drug side effects were not observed in either group. Topical liposomal azithromycin has the same efficacy as intralesional glucantime in the treatment of CL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Drug and Food Control, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.|Targeted Drug Delivery Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Omid
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rajabi
authors.affiliation: Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Research Center, Department of Dermatology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. layeghpo@mums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Pouran
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Layegh
authors.affiliation: Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Research Center, Department of Dermatology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hashemzadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khoddami
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D017963:Azithromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015552:Injections, Intralesional; D007492:Iran; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D008081:Liposomes; D008297:Male; D008536:Meglumine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000077485:Meglumine Antimoniate; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D008081:Liposomes; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D008536:Meglumine; D000077485:Meglumine Antimoniate; D017963:Azithromycin
keywords: azithromycin; cutaneous leishmaniasis; liposome; treatment