Evaluation of levamisole, an immunopotentiator, in the treatment of lepromatous leprosy.

Twenty subpolar lepromatous leprosy patients under multidrug therapy for a period of 1 to 3 years, who continued to be bacteriologically positive (BI 2 to 1 in Dharmendra's grade) were taken in the study. Ten cases (trial group) were given levamisole as an immuno-stimulator for 1 year along with chemotherapy. Another 10 cases (control group) continued to take chemotherapy alone. There was no conversion of Mitsuda reactivity in any of the cases from both the groups. There was no improvement of leucocyte migration inhibition in either group. In both trial and control groups, statistically significant clinical and bacteriological improvements and increase of E. rosette counts are found at the end of one year. However, only the bacteriological improvement in the trial showed statistical significance, when the improvements were compared with those of the control group. No adverse effect due to levamisole therapy was encountered.