THE EFFECT OF TRIACETYL AZAURIDINE ON PSORIASIS

[摘要] Tri-acetyl-6-azauridine (TA-AzUR), an orally administered antimetabolite, produced salutary effects on the lesions of psoriasis in 10 patients with disabling disease. The drug inhibits orotidylic acid decarboxylase in the de novo pathway of pyrimidine metabolism. The major toxic manifestation of TA-AzUR during prolonged administration was mild to moderate anemia, rapidly reversible upon discontinuation of the drug or reduction of therapeutic doses. There were no cases of oral, gastrointestinal or skin ulceration, and hair loss did not occur. This differential effect on the reproductive capacities of epithelial cells suggests that TA-AzUR, at these doses, exerts a selective inhibitory effect in psoriatic epidermis without significant toxicity to normal tissues.