Calcitriol ointment: A review of a topical vitamin D analog for psoriasis

Abstract

Topical vitamin D analogs are a safe and effective treatment for psoriasis vulgaris. This is a brief review of calcitriol 3 microg/g ointment in the treatment of psoriasis. Calcitriol has been safely used outside the USA in Europe under the trade name Silkis Ointment for almost a decade in the treatment of psoriasis, and it is currently FDA-approved as Vectical Ointment. Calcitriol 3 microg/g ointment is a synthetic topical vitamin D analog considered to be as effective as other vitamin D analogs but with a better tolerability in sensitive areas.

Topical 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3 subverts the priming ability of draining lymph node dendritic cells

“…8 Topically applied 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 is also an effective treatment for skin inflammatory diseases such as psoriasis. 9 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 reduces morbidity in the skin through direct effects on keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation in psoriatic lesions (reviewed in ref. 9 ) and also through immunoregulation (reviewed in ref.…”

“…9 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 reduces morbidity in the skin through direct effects on keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation in psoriatic lesions (reviewed in ref. 9 ) and also through immunoregulation (reviewed in ref. 10 ).…”

UVB and Vitamin D in Psoriasis

“…It has been postulated that the synthesis of 1,25(OH)2D is tightly regulated, and that increases in 25(OH)D concentrations due to exposure to sunlight have no effect on serum 1,25(OH)2D levels (6,82 Cutaneous production of 1,25(OH)2D3 may regulate growth, differentiation, apoptosis and other biological processes in the skin (87,88). Therefore, topical vitamin D analogs have been used as a safe and effective treatment for psoriasis vulgaris (89,90). The NBUVB has been shown to have less capacity to induce a local skin production of 1,25(OH)2D3 at 44% of the monochromatic irradiation at 300 ±2.5 nm (68).…”

Cytochrome P450 3A-Mediated Microsomal Biotransformation of 1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 in Mouse and Human Liver: Drug-Related Induction and Inhibition of Catabolism

“…In addition, AIDS patients have lower vitamin D 3 levels (Dao et al, 2011), which may render them susceptible to further lowering of immune function, bone diseases, and increased risk of opportunistic infections. Vitamin D 3 and its derivatives have been successfully used in the treatment of autoimmune skin diseases such as psoriasis and vitiligo (Sigmon et al, 2009).…”