Paper Title
Pentostam® Transdermal Medication of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis

Abstract
Background: Pentostam® is the drug of choice in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). It is applied by intralesional (I.L.), intravenous (I.V.) or intramuscular (I.M.) injection. This practice causes great pain and systemic side effects and results in very low patients’ compliance. Aim -To test Pentostam topical application as an alternative to systemic application with the purpose of avoiding the disadvantages of the latter. Methods: Different formulations of Pentostam in hydrous wool fat (HWF) ointment, polyethylene glycol (PEG), aqueous cream and gel were prepared and tested clinically against CL. The formulations were compared with other conventional medications tried by clinicians in epidemic situations. Results - The four preparations(, dimethyl sulfoxide enhancing incorporated with the previous mentioned bases and Pentostam) showed the following cure rates at the sixth week: Hydrous wool fat ointment (42.5.%), Polyethylene glycol ointment (63.5,61 %), aqueous cream (79.6%) and gel (81.6%). compliance rates percentages were (60%),(80%,78% ),(94% ),(92% ) respectively. Conclusions - 2% Pentostam and 0.5% DMSO in aqueous cream and gel bases were found to be the most efficacious clinically in comparison to the other bases and to the convensional and non-conventional regimens currently were used during the epidemic out break of the disease.Its efficacy was assessed by detection of absence of L.D bodies from the lesions. The comparative studies showed that Pentostam topical formulations were only second in efficacy to systemic Pentostam with the obvious advantages of overcoming the drawbacks of the latter. Index Terms - Pentostam Topical Application, Pentostam® Systemic Application Dimethylsulfoxide.