tranilast and Pruritus

Tranilast (N-[3, 4-dimethoxycinnamoyl] anthranilic acid), an antiallergic drug, has been shown to attenuate scar formation possibly through inhibition of transforming growth factor beta 1 activity and consequent suppression of collagen synthesis in fibroblasts.. The authors aimed at evaluating the efficacy and safety of tranilast 8% gel in improving the appearance and symptoms of new post-cesarean section surgical wounds.. In this prospective double-blind split-scar study, the authors treated each half scar of 26 women with either tranilast 8% liposomal gel or tranilast-free liposomal gel (placebo). Treatment was applied twice daily for 3 months. Twenty women completed the trial. Scar halves were evaluated by 2 investigators and by the patients 9 months after the last application using the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS). The participants also rated overall satisfaction and recorded side effects of the treatment.. The mean POSAS scores at 9 months post-treatment were significantly lower for tranilast-treated half scars compared with placebo-treated half scars (p < .001). The women were significantly more satisfied with the tranilast-treated half-scar appearance (p = .002). Three participants reported itching and erythema on the tranilast-treated side.. Topical tranilast 8% gel provided significantly better postcaesarian section scar cosmesis and user satisfaction compared with placebo.

Topics: Administration, Cutaneous; Adult; Cesarean Section; Cicatrix; Dermatologic Agents; Double-Blind Method; Erythema; Female; Gels; Humans; Middle Aged; ortho-Aminobenzoates; Patient Satisfaction; Postoperative Complications; Prospective Studies; Pruritus; Transforming Growth Factor beta1; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult

A competitive effect with suppression of Th2 immune responses of the tranilast and roxithromycin combination is examined in an allergic rhinitis patient.. A 42-year-old female patient with allergic rhinitis caused by cedar pollen, which is one of the most common allergies during the spring, exhibited facial erythema with itching, particularly on both cheeks, and rhinitis symptoms, such as nasal discharge, and 200 mg/day of tranilast (original) and 300 mg/day of roxithromycin were administered.. After 2 weeks, the patient's skin lesions were mostly eliminated, with the skin appearing almost normal; itching was nearly absent; and rhinitis symptoms disappeared.. This combination may be a promising new therapeutic strategy for allergic rhinitis.

Topics: Adult; Erythema; Female; Humans; Pruritus; Rhinitis; Rhinitis, Allergic; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal; Roxithromycin; Seasons

There is a major clinical need for new therapies for the treatment of chronic itch. Many of the molecular components involved in itch neurotransmission are known, including the neuropeptide NPPB, a transmitter required for normal itch responses to multiple pruritogens in mice. Here, we investigated the potential for a novel strategy for the treatment of itch that involves the inhibition of the NPPB receptor NPR1 (natriuretic peptide receptor 1). Because there are no available effective human NPR1 (hNPR1) antagonists, we performed a high-throughput cell-based screen and identified 15 small-molecule hNPR1 inhibitors. Using in vitro assays, we demonstrated that these compounds specifically inhibit hNPR1 and murine NPR1 (mNPR1). In vivo, NPR1 antagonism attenuated behavioral responses to both acute itch- and chronic itch-challenged mice. Together, our results suggest that inhibiting NPR1 might be an effective strategy for treating acute and chronic itch.

Topics: Animals; Behavior, Animal; Cell-Free System; Dermatitis, Contact; Disease Models, Animal; Ganglia, Spinal; Humans; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Knockout; Neurons; Pruritus; Receptors, Atrial Natriuretic Factor; Reproducibility of Results; Signal Transduction; Small Molecule Libraries

The feasibility of iontophoretic transdermal delivery of tranilast (N-(3,4-dimethoxycinnamoyl) anthranilic acid) for the treatment of keloid and hypertrophic scars was evaluated in hairless rats and humans. A drug electrode containing tranilast 1.5 ml (8 mg/ml in ethanol/water (8/2, v/v) mixture) was placed on the dorsal skin surface of anaesthetised rats or the affected parts of patients, and connected to the negative pole; an electric current (0.5-4 mA for rats, 2 mA for people) was pulsed through at one minute intervals. Tranilast was effectively delivered transdermally iontophoretically into the restricted skin tissues of hairless rats and the affected parts of four patients with hypertrophic scars with no skin damage. In four other patients tranilast given iontophoretically for a period of 30 minutes a week reduced the patients' complaints of pain and itching after only one or two treatments although there were some variations among patients. These results indicate that the transdermal iontophoretic delivery of tranilast is a useful treatment for keloid and hypertrophic scars, particularly for relieving pain and itching, and is more beneficial than tranilast given orally.

Topics: Administration, Cutaneous; Administration, Oral; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Animals; Child; Cicatrix; Female; Humans; Iontophoresis; Keloid; Male; Middle Aged; ortho-Aminobenzoates; Pain; Pruritus; Rats