Tratamiento de la leishmaniasis con cimetidina / Treatment of leishmaniasis with cimetidine

Seven consecutive patients with well documented active mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis were given 400 mg of cimetidine PO q8h. Five patients were aviable for follow-up; all of them were cured within 2 to 10 weeks. One patient was never seen again but over the phone he roported cure. The antibody titer gradually decreased down to 1:8 in 4 months; in 1 patient it rose up to 1:32 and has remained at this level. These observations suggest that cimetidine coulb be an important therapeutic tool for the management of mucocutaneous leishmaniasis. The drug does not have direct effect against the parasite, it seems to act through regulation of immune response.