Effects of a Traditional Iranian Remedy on Cutaneous Leishmaniasis

Despite numerous studies aimed at finding a new treatment for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), glucantime remains the first-line approach. Side effects, drug resistance, and high cost are the challenges of glucantime treatment. A simple treatment method with the fewest side effects, minimum cost, and maximum efficacy is ideal. In Iranian traditional medicine (ITM), dry CL lesions are categorized as rashes, and for treatment, corrosive and keratolytic agents should be used, including garlic. The current study was conducted to assess the effects of an ITM treatment on CL. Methods and Results: In this experimental study, 10 patients with 20 dry CL lesions received treatment based on ITM. For this purpose, some garlic poultices were used. The mean age of the patients was 36.2 years, and the average bout was nearly four months. Based on the findings, garlic poultices could treat all dry skin lesions completely during 14 days. Also, after 40, 70, 100, and 190 days of follow-up, 95% of cases were completely treated. On the 70-day follow-up, a nodule with negative direct smear and PCR results recurred in one patient. Overall, the applied treatment was cost-effective with no systemic side effects. Garlic poultices can be used as an alternative for glucantime. Topical use, shorter course of treatment, and lower number of applications, side effects, and treatment cost are the main advantages of this regimen. We suggest similar multi-centered clinical trials with a larger sample size to further evaluate this treatment regimen.