Glucosamine as a Novel Adjunctive Therapy in Oral Lichen Planus

Overview

Glucosamine (GlcN) is an N-deacetyl amino sugar derived from the complete hydrolysis of chitosan with recently reported immunoregulatory capacity and anti-inflammatory effect and was administrated orally in osteoarthritis and atopic dermatitis therapy. Given the Oral lichen planus (OLP) T-cell-mediated pathogenesis; this drug seems to be a promising therapeutic option. The investigators compared clinical effectiveness of Glucosamine combined with two topical corticosteroid regimens to that of topical corticosteroid alone in symptomatic OLP and investigated therapeutic mechanism by examining treatment effect on expression of inhibitor kappa kinase alpha (IKKα) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) in OLP lesions.

Thirty patients with Erosive or Atrophic OLP were randomly assigned into Three equal groups to receive combination of topical steroid (triamcinolone acetonide 0.1 %) four times per day and (glucosamine sulfate 500 mg) orally three times per day for 8 weeks (Group I), combination of topical steroid twice daily and glucosamine sulfate 500 mg orally three times per day for 8 weeks (Group II), or topical steroid alone four times per day for 8 weeks (Group III) all patients were followed up for another treatment free 4 weeks observational period. Photographs of the most severe lesion were taken (Marker lesion) in each patient and analyzed for Total Ulcerative Area (TUA), Total Atrophic Area (TAA), and Total Reticular Area (TRA), patients were also assessed using clinical scores (CS) and visual analogue scale (VAS). Pre-treatment and post-treatment specimens were immunohistochemically stained to detect expression of IKKα and IL-8.