Ciclosporin chemical structure
Find information on thousands of medical conditions and prescription drugs.

Ciclosporin

Cyclosporine, Ciclosporin (INN), or cyclosporin (former BAN), is an immunosuppressant drug. It is widely used post-allogenic organ transplant to reduce the activity of the patient's immune system and so the risk of organ rejection. It has been studied in transplants of skin, heart, kidney, lung, pancreas, bone marrow and small intestine. Cyclosporine is a cyclic nonribosomal peptide of 11 amino acids (an undecapeptide) produced by the fungus Hypocladium inflatum gams, initially isolated from a Norwegian soil sample. more...

Home
Diseases
Medicines
A
B
C
Cabergoline
Caduet
Cafergot
Caffeine
Calan
Calciparine
Calcitonin
Calcitriol
Calcium folinate
Campath
Camptosar
Camptosar
Cancidas
Candesartan
Cannabinol
Capecitabine
Capoten
Captohexal
Captopril
Carbachol
Carbadox
Carbamazepine
Carbatrol
Carbenicillin
Carbidopa
Carbimazole
Carboplatin
Cardinorm
Cardiolite
Cardizem
Cardura
Carfentanil
Carisoprodol
Carnitine
Carvedilol
Casodex
Cataflam
Catapres
Cathine
Cathinone
Caverject
Ceclor
Cefacetrile
Cefaclor
Cefaclor
Cefadroxil
Cefazolin
Cefepime
Cefixime
Cefotan
Cefotaxime
Cefotetan
Cefpodoxime
Cefprozil
Ceftazidime
Ceftriaxone
Ceftriaxone
Cefuroxime
Cefuroxime
Cefzil
Celebrex
Celexa
Cellcept
Cephalexin
Cerebyx
Cerivastatin
Cerumenex
Cetirizine
Cetrimide
Chenodeoxycholic acid
Chloralose
Chlorambucil
Chloramphenicol
Chlordiazepoxide
Chlorhexidine
Chloropyramine
Chloroquine
Chloroxylenol
Chlorphenamine
Chlorpromazine
Chlorpropamide
Chlorprothixene
Chlortalidone
Chlortetracycline
Cholac
Cholybar
Choriogonadotropin alfa
Chorionic gonadotropin
Chymotrypsin
Cialis
Ciclopirox
Cicloral
Ciclosporin
Cidofovir
Ciglitazone
Cilastatin
Cilostazol
Cimehexal
Cimetidine
Cinchophen
Cinnarizine
Cipro
Ciprofloxacin
Cisapride
Cisplatin
Citalopram
Citicoline
Cladribine
Clamoxyquine
Clarinex
Clarithromycin
Claritin
Clavulanic acid
Clemastine
Clenbuterol
Climara
Clindamycin
Clioquinol
Clobazam
Clobetasol
Clofazimine
Clomhexal
Clomid
Clomifene
Clomipramine
Clonazepam
Clonidine
Clopidogrel
Clotrimazole
Cloxacillin
Clozapine
Clozaril
Cocarboxylase
Cogentin
Colistin
Colyte
Combivent
Commit
Compazine
Concerta
Copaxone
Cordarone
Coreg
Corgard
Corticotropin
Cortisone
Cotinine
Cotrim
Coumadin
Cozaar
Crestor
Crospovidone
Cuprimine
Cyanocobalamin
Cyclessa
Cyclizine
Cyclobenzaprine
Cyclopentolate
Cyclophosphamide
Cyclopropane
Cylert
Cyproterone
Cystagon
Cysteine
Cytarabine
Cytotec
Cytovene
Isotretinoin
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z

Naming

Although the international nonproprietary name is now ciclosporin, it is still referred to as cyclosporine in most scientific journals and medical publications.

Commercialisation

The drug is marketed by Novartis under the brand names Sandimmune, the original formulation, and Neoral for the newer microemulsion formulation. Generic cyclosporine preparations have been marketed by companies such as Sangstat, Abbott Laboratories and Gengraf. Since 2002 a topical emulsion of cyclosporine for treating keratoconjunctivitis sicca has been marketed under the trade name Restasis. Annual sales of cyclosporine are around $1 billion.

Uses

The immuno-suppressive effect of Cyclosporine was discovered on January 31, 1972, by employees of Sandoz (now Novartis) in Basle, Switzerland, in a screening test on immune-suppression designed and implemented by Hartmann F. Stähelin. Cyclosporine was subsequently approved for use in 1983.

Apart from in transplant medicine, cyclosporine is also used in psoriasis and infrequently in rheumatoid arthritis and related diseases, although it is only used in severe cases. It has been investigated for use in many other autoimmune disorders. It is often taken in conjunction with corticosteroids. More recently, cyclosporine has begun to be used to help treat patients suffering from ulcerative colitis with positive results.

Cyclosporine A has been investigated as a possible neuroprotective agent in conditions such as traumatic brain injury, and has been shown in animal experiments to reduce brain damage associated with injury . Cyclosporine A blocks the formation of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore, which has been found to cause much of the damage associated with head injury and neurodegenerative diseases.

Mode of action

Cyclosporine is thought to bind to the cytosolic protein cyclophilin (immunophilin) of immunocompetent lymphocytes, especially T-lymphocytes. This complex of cyclosporin and cyclophylin inhibits calcineurin, which under normal circumstances is responsible for activating the transcription of interleukin-2. It also inhibits lymphokine production and interleukin release and therefore leads to a reduced function of effector T-cells. It does not affect cytostatic activity.

Side-effects and interactions

Treatment has a number of potentially serious side effects and has adverse interactions with a wide variety of other drugs and other materials including grapefruit, although there have been studies to improve the blood level of cyclosporine with grapefruit juice. Side effects can include gum hyperplasia, convulsions, peptic ulcers, pancreatitis, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, confusion, breathing difficulties, numbness and tingling, pruritus, high blood pressure, kidney and liver disfunction, potassium retention and possibly hyperkalemia, hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, and obviously an increased vulnerability to opportunistic fungal and viral infections.

Read more at Wikipedia.org


[List your site here Free!]


Cutaneous ulcerative lichen planus exhibiting pathergy, response to acitretin
From Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 3/1/04 by Robert L. Henderson, Jr.

Abstract

While ulcerative lichen planus is a common diagnosis when involving the mucosa, it is uncommonly found on the cutaneous surface. Cutaneous ulcerative lichen planus is usually found on the palmar or plantar surfaces (1,2) and has only rarely been described elsewhere (3-6). We describe a case of cutaneous ulcerative lichen planus involving the pretibia and exhibiting pathergy, which to our knowledge has not been previously reported. We also describe successful treatment with oral acitretin in conjunction with topical and intralesional corticosteroids.

**********

Case Report

A 50-year-old white female was referred to our clinic for a persistent ulcer on her right pretibial area 7 months following curettage and intralesional 5-flourouracil to treat a biopsyproven squamous cell carcinoma. The wound enlarged despite appropriate wound management, including outpatient therapy in a wound care center and compression therapy. Over the next several months, repeat biopsies were performed to exclude residual squamous cell carcinoma. She additionally received a course of doxycycline and rifampin to treat a culturepositive MRSA colonization. Despite these measures, the ulcer persisted, and wide excision for occult carcinoma and placement of a graft were considered. At this time, she was referred to our clinic for additional dermatologic consultation.

She presented with a 5 X 4 cm, partially epithelialized, irregularly shaped, shallow ulceration without undermined or indurated borders on the right pretibial leg. She had mild pitting edema of each leg below the knees. The rest of her cutaneous examination was unremarkable. Her past medical history was significant only for hypertension. Tissue cultures for acid fast bacteria, fungi, and routine bacteria were negative. Repeat biopsies at the ulcer borders for routine hematoxylin and eosin staining revealed a lichenoid dermatitis consistent with lichen planus. Ulcerative lichen planus was subsequently diagnosed.

Oral acitretin 25 mg daily was started after liver associated enzymes (LAEs) and triglycerides (TGs) were found to be normal. Intralesional injection of triamcinolone (10 mg/mL) was performed around the borders of the ulcer at the beginning of treatment. Additionally, she applied topical clobetasol ointment twice daily and continued general wound care practices including compression therapy. After two weeks of treatment, marked improvement was noted with complete reepithelialization in some areas. After four weeks of treatment, complete healing was noted with residual atrophy and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. LAEs and TGs remained within the normal range. Acitretin was then decreased to 25 mg every other day and tapered off over the next two months. At her three month follow up, she remained clear and no longer required any form of treatment.

Discussion

The diagnosis of ulcerative lichen planus can be easily missed, as it is an unlikely cause of persistent cutaneous ulcerations. In our case, the ulceration occurred postoperatively within a wound from curettage of a squamous cell carcinoma. The two most likely causes of persistant ulceration in such a case would include poor wound healing secondary to stasis dermatitis, which her clinical exam demonstrated, and residual carcinoma. She was adequately treated for poor wound healing and rebiopsied to rule out residual carcinoma. The differential diagnosis at presentation included recurrent squamous cell carcinoma, ulcerative lichen planus, deep fungal, mycobacterial, gram positive and negative pyodermas, and pyoderma gangrenosum.

Erosive or ulcerative lichen planus is commonly found on mucosal surfaces but has only rarely been seen on cutaneous surfaces. When found cutaneously, it usually involves the palms and/or soles, with associated nail destruction and sometimes scarring alopecia (1,2). Other variants reported include flexural presentations and those associated with polycythemia vera, rheumatoid arthritis, and sicca syndrome (3-6). Ours is the first case reported to occur on the extensor surface of an extremity and exhibit pathergy.

Whereas mucosal erosive lichen planus may respond to topical corticosteroid treatment, it can be refractory and warrant systemic treatment. Cutaneous ulcerative lichen, however, is notoriously difficult to treat by any method. Reported successful systemic therapies include cyclosporine, azathioprine, etretinate, thalidomide and dapsone (7-12).

In severe cases of papular cutaneous lichen planus, systemic retinoids are often chosen as steroid sparing agents or to avoid corticosteroids all together. Joshi et al. reported a 50-year old female with ulcerative lichen planus on the soles of 11 years' duration who experienced rapid and complete resolution within 3 months of instituting etretinate (8). But in another case reported by Fornasa, a 4-week trial of oral etretinate (unreported dose) and a 6-week trial with dapsone were both ineffective for plantar ulcerative lichen planus of 5 years' duration in a 72-year-old female (13). Interestingly, the ulcers had previously failed to respond to systemic steroids (unreported dose) for several months.

Retinoids exert numerous biologic effects through binding of nuclear retinoic acid and X receptors which act as nuclear transcription factors. Activated retinoid receptors regulate expression of various genes and proteins including growth factors, oncogenes, keratins, or transglutaminases, which in turn regulate processes such as epidermal differentiation (14).

We employed three treatment strategies with our patient. While the treatment success cannot be attributed to one strategy alone, we found the speed of resolution interesting, particularly in light of the reported difficulty in clearing cutaneous ulcerative lichen planus, and believe the addition of oral retinoids to topical or intralesional corticosteroids is an attractive choice of therapy.

References

1. Isogai Z. Koashi Y. Sunohara A. Tsuji T. Ulcerative Lichen Planus: a rare variant of lichen planus, J Dermatol 1997 Apr; 24:270-2.

2. Cram DL. Kierland RR. Winkelmann RK. Ulcerative lichen planus of the feet. Bullous variant with hair and nail lesions. Arch Dermatol 1966 Jun; 93:692-701.

3. Higgins CR. Handfield-Jones S. Black MM. Erosive, flexural lichen planus--an uncommon variant. Clin Exp Dermatol 1993 Mar; 18:169-70.

4. Berbis P. Devaux J. Benveniste MJ. Perrimond H. Privat Y. Severe erosive lichen planus and polycythemia vera in an adolescent. Dermatologica 1987; 174:244-8.

5. Micalizzi C. Tagliapietra G. Farris A. Ulcerative lichen planus of the sole with rheumatoid arthritis. Int J Dermatol 1998 Nov; 37:862-3.

6. Zijdenbos I.M. Starink TM. Spronk CA. Ulcerative lichen planus with associated sicca syndrome and good therapeutic result of skin grafting, J Am Acad Dermatol 1985 Oct; 13:667-8.

7. Patrone P. Stinco G. La Pia E. Frattasio A. De Francesco V. Surgery and cyclosporine A in the treatment of erosive lichen planus of the feet. Eur J Dermatol 1998 Jun; 8:243-4.

8. Lear JT. English JS. Erosive and generalized lichen planus responsive to azathioprine. Clin Exp Dermatol 1996 Jan; 21:56-7.

9. Joshi RK. Abanmi A. Jouhargy E. Horaib A. Etretinate in the treatment of ulcerative lichen planus. Dermatology 1993; 187:73-5.

10. Dereure O. Bassett-Seguin N, Guilhou JJ. Erosive Lichen planus: dramatic response to thalidomide. Arch Dermatol 1996 Nov: 132:1392-3.

11. Beck HI. Brandrup F. Treatment of erosive lichen planus with dapsone. Acta Derm Venereol 1986; 66:366-7.

12. Falk DK. Latour DL, King LE Jr. Dapsone in the treatment of erosive lichen planus. J Am Acad Dermatol 1985 Mar; 12:567-70.

13. Veller Fornasa C. Catalano P. Effect of local applications of ciclosporin in chronic ulcerative lichen planus. Dermatologica 1991; 182:65.

14. Peck GL. DiGiovanna JJ. The retinoids; in Freedberg IM. Eisen AZ. Wolff K. Austen KF. Goldsmith LA. Katz SI. Fitzpatrick TB (eds): Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine, 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1999; 2810-2811.

ROBERT L HENDERSON JR MD, PHILLIP M WILLIFORD MD, JOSEPH A MOLNAR MD PHD

ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE:

Phillip M Williford MD

Associate Professor of Dermatology

Director of Dermatologic Surgery

Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center

Medical Center Boulevard

Winston-Salem. NC 27157-1071

Phone: (336) 716-3926

E-mail: pwillifo@wfubmc.edu

COPYRIGHT 2004 Journal of Drugs in Dermatology
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group

Return to Ciclosporin
Home Contact Resources Exchange Links ebay