Intralesional combined digoxin and furosemide in plantar warts: Does it work?

Warts are small, benign growths caused by human papilloma virus. No treatment has yet proven 100% effective for a cure. DNA viruses rely on K + influx for replication. Both digoxin and furosemide inhibit the K + influx by interacting with cell membrane ion co-transporters. Therefore, it is hypothesized that these two compounds may be valuable in the treatment of warts.

Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intralesional injection of a combination of digoxin and furosemide in treatment of plantar warts.

This two-armed single blinded randomized clinical trial included 40 cases with multiple plantar warts (≥3warts) divided into 2 groups (20 cases each). The first group received intralesional normal saline and the second group received intralesional combined digoxin and furosemide, one session every week for maximum 5 injection sessions.

On comparing between the 2 groups regarding response to treatment (reduction in number of warts), the first group showed no change in number of warts (82 warts before and after treatment), whereas, in the second group, the number of warts before treatment was 80 while after treatment it was 40 (50% reduction in number). There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups as regard the change in the total number of warts (P < .001).

Intralesional injection of combined digoxin and furosemide is safe and effective treatment option in multiple plantar warts.