Trioxsalen (Oral Route)

Trioxsalen belongs to the group of medicines called psoralens. It is used along with ultraviolet light (found in sunlight and some special lamps) in a treatment called psoralen plus ultraviolet light A (PUVA) to treat vitiligo, a disease in which skin color is lost. Trioxsalen may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.

Trioxsalen was available only with your doctor's prescription.

Trioxsalen was discontinued by the manufacturer in December 2002.

This product is available in the following dosage forms:

• Tablet

Although there is no specific information comparing use of trioxsalen in children with use in other age groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in children than it does in adults.

Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of trioxsalen in the elderly with use in other age groups.

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

• For oral dosage form (tablets):
  • For vitiligo:
    • Adults and children 12 years of age and over—20 to 40 milligrams (mg) taken two to four hours before ultraviolet light A (UVA) exposure. This treatment (trioxsalen and UVA) is given two or three times a week with the treatments spaced at least forty-eight hours apart.
    • Children up to 12 years of age—Dose must be determined by your doctor.
  • For increasing tolerance to sunlight or increasing color of the skin:
    • Adults and children 12 years of age and over—20 to 40 mg taken two hours before ultraviolet light A (UVA) exposure. This treatment (trioxsalen and UVA) is given two or three times a week with the treatments spaced at least forty-eight hours apart.
    • Children up to 12 years of age—Dose must be determined by your doctor.

Call your doctor or pharmacist for instructions.