Lichen Planopilaris treated with Pioglitazone

Lichen Planopilaris Treated With a Peroxisome Proliferator—Activated Receptor γ Agonist

Paradi Mirmirani, MD and Pratima Karnik, PhD

Arch Dermatol. 2009 December; 145(12): 1363–1366.

• Lichen planopilaris is a form of scarring alopecia and beyond dignosis and steroid treatment, little is available. This article shows an alternative therapeutic modality.
• The mode of action is through agnosit action on the PPAR (Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor) gamma.
• One drug having this action was tried and is called Actos (pioglitazone). It is an antidiabetic and given at a dosage of 15mg per day.
• The drug was removed from the French market at it was suggested in a French study that it increases the risk of bladder cancer. It failed to show similar results in a US study and in a European Metanalysis and the Drug is available except in Germany and France.