Abstract
The efficacy of the macrolide antibiotic roxithromycin (Rulid®: RXM) for acne was evaluated and compared with that of minocycline hydrochloride (Minomycin®: MINO). Thirty-two patients aged over 16 years old with inflammatory acne were divided into two groups of 16 patients each. One group received a normal dose of RXM (300 mg/day) for two weeks and the second group received a normal dose of MINO (200 mg/day) for 2 weeks. Each group then received administration of the respective drugs at half the dose for the next 6 weeks. The number and severity of papules,pustules,nodules and cysts significantly decreased in both groups after treatment, and the level of improvement of symptoms was similar in the two groups. Forty-four strains of Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) were isolated from lesions, and the MIC90of these strains was 0.2mg/l for RXM and 0.8mg/l for MINO. The susceptibility of P. acnes to RXM did not differ significantly from previous reports and the percentage of RXM-resistant strains was low. No serious adverse reactions were observed with either treatment. These results confirm that administration of a normal dose for 2 weeks followed by long-term administration of a half-dose is useful in treatment of acne.
