The British journal of dermatology
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Oral phenytoin was first introduced as an antiseizure medication in 1937. Over 60 years investigators have shown an interest in how topical phenytoin may be used to promote wound healing in a variety of chronic wounds. ⋯ Overall it would appear that studies investigating the effect of topical phenytoin on wound healing are of moderate methodological quality, and these suggest that there may be a positive effect on wound healing in a variety of wounds.
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Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) contribute to tissue destruction, regeneration, inflammation and apoptosis and several of them are upregulated by ultraviolet (UV) radiation in skin. Although some MMPs associate with organ manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), their role in cutaneous lupus erythematosus (LE) is elusive. ⋯ Different subtypes of cutaneous LE are fairly similar in their MMP expression profile. MMP-3 and -10 mediate both epidermal changes and dermal tissue remodelling but are not present in lymphocytes. Low expression of TIMP-1 suggests that lupus skin is characterized by proteolytic events, and targeted action using selective MMP inhibitors may reduce lupus-induced damage in inflamed tissues.