Korean J Dermatol.  1979 Dec;17(6):389-396.

Therapeutic Effect of Levamisole in Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis

• Cho NJ
• Choi DY
• Son SJ

Abstract

There have been no standard treatments for recurrent aphthous stomatitis, and clinical management is usually directed toward symptomatic relief. Recent immunological investigations have focused on possible imrnunopathogenesis of the disease. Several reparters suggested that levamisole, nonspecific immune-stimulator, had a beneficiaI effect in controlling attacks of recurrent a,phthous stomatitis and in reducing subsequent episodes. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness of levamisole in patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis. A total of 8 patients who had had recurrent aphthous stomatitis for 2 to 20 years and who had experienced at least one episode per month were selected for this study from the department of dermatology, National Medical Center, through March 1979 to September 1979, Levamisole (Decaris') was given 150mg, p.o., once daily on 3 consecutive days every week for 2 months. Tbe results were as follows. 1) One patient had to have levamisole discontinued due to a high fever and exacerbations of tbe oral ulcerations. 2) 5 patients showed beneficial effects in reducing tbe number, frequency, pain and severity of recurrent aphthous stomatitis. 3') One patient showed no therapeutic response. 4) One patient, who has experienced new oral ulcerations continuously before starting levamisole, showed no recurrences of the lesions during the follow-up period of 3 months. 5) Side effects during levamisole administration were transient and generally mild, They included nausea, headache, dizziness and high fever.

MeSH Terms

Dermatology
Dizziness
Fever
Follow-Up Studies
Headache
Humans
Levamisole*
Nausea
Oral Ulcer
Recurrence
Stomatitis
Stomatitis, Aphthous*
Levamisole