Tacrolimus in Dermatology

The 2001 document reports that tacrolimus, an anti-T-cell drug, is effective in treating several dermatological conditions. It is more potent and has fewer side effects than cyclosporine. Tacrolimus has been successful in controlling psoriasis at a dosage of 0.1 mg/kg/day and has been effective in treating acute contact dermatitis and atopic dermatitis in adults and children, with clinical improvements seen within 1-3 weeks. A study with 213 adults showed a 66% to 83% decrease in clinical scores for tacrolimus-treated areas, and another with 180 children showed 69% to 70% marked to excellent improvement. Additionally, tacrolimus has shown potential in animal studies to induce hair growth and protect against chemotherapy-induced alopecia, and one human case of alopecia universalis reported hair growth stimulation. It may also help prevent skin graft rejection, treat lupus dermatoses, and prevent skin papilloma formation in animals. However, its effectiveness for common human hair loss and other skin conditions requires further research. Tacrolimus is considered a valuable alternative to topical steroids for various skin diseases.