Coal tar phototherapy for psoriasis reevaluated: erythemogenic versus suberythemogenic ultraviolet with a tar extract in oil and crude coal tar

Journal Article · Wed Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1983 · J. Am. Acad. Dermatol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0190-9622(83)80006-1· OSTI ID:6748535

Lowe, N J; Wortzman, M S; Breeding, J; Koudsi, H; Taylor, L

Recent studies have questioned the therapeutic value of coal tar versus ultraviolet (UV) radiation and their relative necessity in phototherapy for psoriasis. In this investigation, different aspects of tar phototherapy have been studied in single-blind bilateral paired comparison studies. The effects of 1% crude coal tar were compared with those of petrolatum in conjunction with erythemogenic and suberythemogenic doses of ultraviolet light (UVB) using a FS72 sunlamp tubed cabinet. Crude coal tar was clinically superior to petrolatum with suberythemogenic ultraviolet. With the erythemogenic UVB, petrolatum was equal in efficacy to crude coal tar. Suberythemogenic UVB was also used adjunctively to compare the effects of a 5% concentration of a tar extract in an oil base to 5% crude coal tar in petrolatum or the oil base without tar. The tar extract in oil plus suberythemogenic UVB produced significantly more rapid improvement than the oil base plus UVB. The direct bilateral comparison of equal concentrations of tar extract in oil base versus crude coal tar in petrolatum in a suberythemogenic UV photo regimen revealed no statistical differences between treatments. In a study comparing tar extract in oil and the oil base without ultraviolet radiation, the tar extract in oil side responded more rapidly.

• Research Organization: Univ. of California, Los Angeles
• OSTI ID: 6748535
• Journal Information: J. Am. Acad. Dermatol.; (United States), Vol. 8:6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
COAL TAR
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DNA
BIOSYNTHESIS
FAR ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
PSORIASIS
RADIOTHERAPY
MICE
PATIENTS
RADIATION DOSES
SKIN
ANIMALS
BODY
DISEASES
DOSES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
MAMMALS
MEDICINE
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
NUCLEIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
RADIATIONS
RADIOLOGY
RODENTS
SKIN DISEASES
SYNTHESIS
TAR
THERAPY
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
VERTEBRATES
560151* - Radiation Effects on Animals- Man
550603 - Medicine- External Radiation in Therapy- (1980-)