Low dose azaribine in the treatment of psoriasis

Thirteen patients with severe psoriasis were treated with low dose azaribine (125 mg/kg/day) for 8-week periods. Two patients with generalized pustular psoriasis and four patients with psoriatic arthritis had a good to excellent response. Severe neurotoxicity occurred in four patients, requiring lowering of the dose in three and discontinuance of the drug in one patient. Because of these results, azaribine at 125 mg/kg/day cannot be recommended for plaque-type psoriasis, though it is very effective against generahzed pustular psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Of the eleven patients with plaque psoriasis, seven had a good or excellent response initially but subsequently relapsed while on therapy; the other four patients failed to respond to the medication.