Treatmant of Oral Lichen Planus With Lycopene

Lichen planus, a chronic inflammatory mucocutaneous disease, occurs in about 2% of the adult population, affecting the skin and or oral mucosa. Clinically, lichen planus appears in keratotic, atrophic or erosive form. The atrophic and erosive forms are usually symptomatic. Various treatment modalities viz. corticosteroids, antimicrobials, immunomodulators, phenytoin, retinoids, UV-radiation and surgical treatment etc. have been tried. Though none of these have shown to achieve satisfactory results with recurrence of lesion occurring in most of the cases after few weeks of discontinuation of therapy. Recently a population based case control study has revealed lower levels of lycopene in atrophic and erosive oral lichen planus cases, while no significant difference was noted in any other carotenoid levels. Lycopene is an antioxidant and free radical scavenger being used in the management of infertility, pre-eclampsia, cataract prevention, osteoarthritis, as adjuvant therapy in various malignancies, cardiovascular disorders, diabetes mellitus, aging, Alzheimer's disease, parkinsonism, etc. Systemic lycopene has been found to be effective in treatment of oral leukoplakia, owing to its antioxidant properties. The utility of lycopene in oral lichen planus has not been reported in the literature; therefore, this study has been designed to assess the efficacy of systemic lycopene in management of oral lichen planus patients. The data collected from this study can move us closer to deriving a specific treatment plan for oral lichen planus - a dividend, not only for patients but dental fraternity as well.