Tacrolimus in Dermatology

The 2001 document reviews tacrolimus, an anti-T-cell drug, for its dermatological applications, noting its greater potency and fewer side effects compared to cyclosporine. Tacrolimus was effective in treating recalcitrant psoriasis lesions in a study at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg/day and in controlling acute contact dermatitis in small human studies. Topical tacrolimus showed excellent results in short-term trials for atopic dermatitis in adults and children, and in animal studies, it induced the anagen phase in hair growth disorders and protected against chemotherapy-induced alopecia. It also showed potential in preventing skin graft rejection, treating lupus dermatoses, and preventing skin papilloma formation in animals. However, the successful treatment of pyoderma gangrenosum, Sezary's syndrome, and Behçet's disease with tacrolimus is considered anecdotal due to the small number of cases.