Methoxsalen (Extracorporeal-Systemic)

Brand Names : Uvadex

Before Using This Medicine

Methoxsalen is a very strong medicine that increases the skin's sensitivity to sunlight. In addition to causing serious sunburns, if precautions are not properly taken, it has been reported to increase the chance of skin cancer and cataracts. Too much sunlight can also cause premature aging of the skin. In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of using the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor wil make. For methoxsalen, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to psoralens. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Diet - Eating certain foods while you are receiving methoxsalen treatment may increase your skin's sensitivity to sunlight. To help prevent this, avoid eating limes, figs, parsley, parsnips, mustard, carrots, and celery while you are being treated with this medicine.

Pregnancy - It is best to avoid pregnancy during treatment with this medicine. Studies in animals have found that methoxsalen causes birth defects and death of the fetus. Be sure you have discussed this with your doctor before starting treatments with this medicine. Also, tell your doctor right away if you think you have become pregnant while receiving this medicine.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether methoxsalen passes into breast milk. Mothers who are receiving this medicine and who wish to breast-feed should discuss this with their doctor.

Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of methoxsalen in children with use in other age groups.

Older 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 methoxsalen in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your medical doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are receiving methoxsalen, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Anthralin (e.g., Drithocreme) or
• Bacteriostatic soaps or
• Certain organic dyes (such as methylene blue, methyl orange, rose bengal, and toluidine blue) or
• Coal tar or medicine made from coal tar (e.g., Alphosyl) or
• Griseofulvin (e.g., Fulvicin-U/F) or
• Nalidixic acid (e.g., NegGram) or
• Phenothiazines (acetophenazine [e.g., Tindel], chlorpromazine [e.g., Thorazine], fluphenazine [e.g., Prolixin], mesoridazine [e.g., Serentil], methotrimeprazine [e.g., Nozinan], pericyazine [e.g., Neuleptil], perphenazine [e.g., Trilafon], pipotiazine [e.g., Piportil L₄ ], prochlorperazine [e.g., Compazine], promazine [e.g., Primazine], thiopropazate [e.g., Dartal], thioproperazine [e.g., Majeptil], thioridazine [e.g., Mellaril], trifluoperazine [e.g., Stelazine], triflupromazine [e.g., Vesprin]) or
• Sulfonamides (sulfa medicine) or
• Tetracyclines (medicine for infection) or
• Thiazide diuretics (water pills) - May increase sensitivity to light

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of methoxsalen. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Albinism (pigment lacking in the skin, hair, and eyes, or eyes only) or
• Erythropoietic protoporphyria or
• Lupus erythematosus or
• Porphyria cutanea tarda or
• Skin cancer or
• Variegate porphyria or
• Xeroderma pigmentosum - Methoxsalen treatment may make condition worse

• Eye problems, such as cataracts or loss of the lens of the eye - Methoxsalen and light treatment may make these conditions worse or may cause damage to the eye