Lycopene versus corticosteroid in the treatment of symptomatic oral lichen planus patients: A randomized double blinded clinical trial

Objectives: This trial is designed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of oral lycopene (LPN) compared to prednisolone (PSN) in oral lichen planus (OLP) symptomatic patients.

Materials and Methods: 40 patients suffering from atrophic/erosive OLP were included in this double-blinded randomized clinical trial. Patients were equally and randomly assigned into 2 groups: LPN was administered in 10 mg/day (Group 1, n=20) and PSN was given as 40 mg/day (Group 2, n=20); for 8 successive weeks. Outcome measures included the visual analogue scale and clinical scoring. The un-stimulated salivary MDA was also assayed at baseline, then at weeks: 2, 4 and 8 after therapy.

Results: In both groups, the reduction of pain and clinical scores was statistically significant (p<0.05) at weeks (2, 4 and 8) after administration as well as the mean expression levels of salivary MDA (p<0.05). A non-significant difference was recorded between both groups at each time point (p≥0.05).

Conclusions: Prednisolone and oral lycopene are similarly effective in the treatment of symptomatic OLP patients.

Author(s): Hala H Hazzaa1, 2, Basma Elsaadany3, Eman M Abdulhady4, Eman Magdy Ahmed5*

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