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Diprolene Uses

Psoriasis is a common auto-immune disorder where cells grow uncontrollably and result in plaques, or patches, of red, inflamed areas that itch, bleed and cause pain. Diprolene is a topical corticosteroid called betamethasone that is prescribed for the treatment of psorasis of the scalp, the nails and the skin. Diprolene contains two corticosteroids, betamethasone dipropionate and calcipotriol, that are effective due to their anti-inflammatory effects.

  1. Scalp Psoriasis

    • The primary biologically active ingredients of Diprolene have been clinically investigated for the treatment of scalp psoriasis. A study appearing in the January 2011 issue of "Current Medical Research and Opinion" assessed calcipotriol and betamethasone dipropionate (BD) and other treatments through a review of medical literature. The authors reviewed 10 clinical studies and found that calcipotriol was significantly more effective that other topical medications for the treatment of scalp psoriasis. The review concluded that although clinical trials were scarce, enough evidence existed to indicate that calcipotriol was an effective and safe treatment.

    Psoriasis Vulgaris

    • Psoriasis vulgaris is the medical name for plaque psoriasis and the most common form, which affects about 80 percent of sufferers. The results of a clinical trial were also reported in the January 2011 issue of "Current Medical Research and Opinion." In this study, the researchers investigated the effects of calcipotriol and BD applied once daily for the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris and compared them to those of other topical treatments. The study found that patients responded well to this regime and symptoms were reduced in 75 percent of the cases by the end of four weeks.

    Nail Psoriasis

    • Psoriasis of the nails is notoriously difficult to treat. An article appearing in the April 2009 issue of "Dermatology" investigated the effects of a topical ointment containing calcipotriol and BD for the treatment of nail psoriasis. Participants in the study applied the ointment once daily and were evaluated four, eight and 12 weeks after treatment began. The patients' symptoms were assessed by an accepted scale, called a nail psoriasis severity index, or NAPSI. The study found that 22 out of 25 patients, who had symptoms involving 114 nails among them, showed a 72 percent improvement over the course of the study.

    Adjunct Therapy

    • Several websites urge the use of fish oil to combat psoriasis in conjunction with topical medications. The January 2010 issue of "Inflammatory Research" included a study to investigate the effects of fish oil ion in combination with BD. The researchers assessed molecular indicators of psoriasis using pig skin by applying ointments containing either BD alone or in combination with salicyclic acid and/or fish oil. The study concluded that fish oil actually improved the delivery of BD because it was found several cell layers deeper in the tissue of pig skin compared with other preparations.

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