Azaribine therapy for psoriasis. Evaluation of potential effects on the liver and other organ systems.

An open study of azaribine was carried out on 38 psoriatic patients for two years. Thirty-five patients had previously taken methotrexate. Thirty-four patients had liver biopsies performed before azaribine therapy and 14 had liver biopsies performed after azaribine therapy. Of these 14, five had grade 1 liver biopsies before and after therapy; one had grade III before and after therapy; and three had grade IV before and after therapy. Liver biopsy findings were slightly worse in two patients, and three patients showed improvement in liver biopsy findings.