Topical Sulfasalazine and Oral Lichen Planus

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the mucosal membrane. T-cell mediated damage against the mucosal epithelial cells is implicated in the pathogenesis of OLP, although the exact mechanism is unknown. Sulfasalazine is extensively used in inflammatory bowel disease and is effective on immune-related inflammatory disease such as Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and Behcet's disease. In spite of its effectiveness, the anti-inflammatory mechanism is not clearly understood.