Hepatitis and multi-drug therapy in leprosy with special reference to prothionamide

Hepatotoxicity in two drug regimens was studied at Central Leprosy Teaching and Research Institute, Chengalpattu (Tamil Nadu) during 1983-84. In 'P' regimen-prothionamide 350 mg daily, dapsone 100 mg daily and rifampicin 600 mg at monthly intervals were given. In' C' regimen-dapsone 100 mg daily, rifampicin 600 mg once a month and clofazimine 300 mg once a month and 100 mg alternate day were given. Trial was started with fifty multibacillary adult leprosy patients in each group. Enzymatic hepatic dysfunction was noted in 52-58 per cent of the cases even before the therapy was started. In 'P' regimen, four cases of clinical jaundice and six cases of high bilirubinaemia was noticed during the trial as against two cases each of clinical jaundice and high bilirubinaemia in 'C regimen. Of the two cases of clinical jaundice in 'C' regimen, one turned out to be a case of HBV infection. The study which is in progress, indicated higher hepatotoxicity in 'P' regimen which is probably explained by the simultaneous use of two hepatotoxic drugs. Viral hepatitis is endemic in this area and might have aggravated the hepatotoxicity observed.