AMINOSIDINE (PAROMOMYCIN) VERSUS SODIUM STIBOGLUCONATE FOR THE TREATMENT OF AMERICAN CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS

The efficacy of aminosidine was compared with sodium stibogluconate in an open, randomized study of parasitologically-proven cutaneous leishmaniasis in Belize. Aminosidine, 14 mg/kg/d (max. 1 g daily) for 20 d, healed 10 of 17 lesions and sodium stibogluconate, 20 mg/kg/d for 20 d, healed 15 of 17 lesions. Lesions caused by Leishmania braziliensis were relatively unresponsive to aminosidine. Aminosidine was well tolerated and toxicity was not observed. Sodium stibogluconate was not well tolerated and treatment was associated with bone marrow suppression and elevation of serum aminotransferases.