1. Natural coniferous resin lacquer in treatment of toenail onychomycosis: an observational study
- Author
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Arno Sipponen, Pentti Sipponen, Marjo Soini, Riikka Tapanainen, Janne J. Jokinen, and J. Lohi
- Subjects
Male ,Antifungal Agents ,Time Factors ,Trichophyton rubrum ,Severity of Illness Index ,030207 dermatology & venereal diseases ,0302 clinical medicine ,Trichophyton ,Hydroxides ,Medicine ,antifungal agent ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Clinical efficacy ,Prospective Studies ,Prospective cohort study ,Aged, 80 and over ,biology ,General Medicine ,Middle Aged ,3. Good health ,Infectious Diseases ,Treatment Outcome ,visual_art ,visual_art.visual_art_medium ,Female ,medicine.drug ,Adult ,medicine.medical_specialty ,dermatophytes ,Potassium Compounds ,Topical treatment ,Dermatology ,Stain ,03 medical and health sciences ,Trichophyton mentagrophytes ,Onychomycosis ,Humans ,Picea ,Resin ,Lacquer ,Aged ,Ciclopirox ,business.industry ,Original Articles ,biology.organism_classification ,Surgery ,Nails ,Clinical diagnosis ,business ,Resins, Plant - Abstract
In in vitro tests, natural coniferous resin from the Norway spruce (Picea abies) is strongly antifungal. In this observational study, we tested the clinical effectiveness of a lacquer composed of spruce resin for topical treatment of onychomycosis. Thirty-seven patients with clinical diagnosis of onychomycosis were enrolled into the study. All patients used topical resin lacquer treatment daily for 9 months. A mycological culture and potassium hydroxide (KOH) stain were done from nail samples in the beginning and in the end of the study. Treatment was considered effective, if a mycological culture was negative and there was an apparent clinical cure. At study entry, 20 patients (20/37; 54%; 95% CI: 38-70) had a positive mycological culture and/or positive KOH stain for dermatophytes. At study end, the result of 13 patients was negative (13/19; 68%; 95% CI: 48-89). In one case (1/14; 7%; 95% CI: 0-21) the mycological culture was initially negative, but it turned positive during the study period. By 14 compliant patients (14/32; 44%; 95% CI: 27-61), resin lacquer treatment was considered clinically effective: complete healing took place in three cases (9%) and partial healing in 11 cases (85%). The results indicate some evidence of clinical efficacy of the natural coniferous resin used for topical treatment of onychomycosis.
- Published
- 2013