Some psoriasis forms can be successfully treated with topical medicaments; serious and extensive forms cannot be cured without systemic treatment with retinoids (etretinate, acitretin, tazarotene) or withimmunosuppressives (methotrexate, cyclosporine A, tacrolimus,SDZ 281-240). Immuno-therapy and nucleotide analogues are being newly introduced, a number of potentially effective substances interfering with pathogenetic mechanisms participating in the emergence and self-prolongation of psoriasis are in the stage of research and clinical trials, and gene therapy possibilities are being investigated.The development and testing of drugs serving therapy for psoriasis correlates with the development of knowledge about the origins of the disease and the mechanisms of how antipsoriatics in current use as well as the new potential ones work.

        Key words: psoriasis – therapy – drugs – immunosuppressives – retinoids