Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) caused by Leishmania Viannia braziliensis in the last decades has decreasing cure rates and long time to heal after treatment with systemic pentavalent antimony (Sbv) at a high dosage. Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) is associated with epithelialization and healing processes. Randomized controlled double- blind pilot study to compare the efficacy of Sbv (Glucantime™, 20mg/kg/day intravenously for 20 days) associated with G-CSF and the use of Sbv (same schedule) plus placebo in the treatment of localized CL. Thirty-two patients aged between 18 and 50 years with localized ulcerated CL (up to 3 lesions) with a PCR positive for L. braziliensis were included in the study. G-CSF or placebo (saline solution 0.9%) was applied by intralesional infiltration of 0.1 mL at 4 equidistant points at the edge of the biggest ulcer on day 0 and day 15. Cure was defined as the complete healing without elevation of the ulcer edges on day 90 after initiation of therapy. Failure was defined by the presence of an active ulcer or scar with raised edges at day 90. The 32 patients involved in the study were randomically assigned into two groups: 15 in the control group and 17 in the control group. The sex male predominated in the G-CSF group (59%), while the control group showed a higher frequency of females (53.3%). Illness duration in both groups varied from 30 to 60 days and the majority of the lesions were localized in the lower limbs. The cure rate was 53% in the G-CSF group and 47% in the control group. G-CSF use in toxic epidermal necrolysis and dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa showed benefit in accelerating epithelialization and healing, besides decreasing the activity of cytotoxic CD8 cells. These actions of G-CSF could have a beneficial effect in the treatment of CL. However, in this pilot trial, we were not able to show a significant higher cure rate in subjects treated with the combination of this cytokine. Parasitic factors involved in therapeutic resistance may be associated with the high failure found in both groups. Our data suggest that the use of G-CSF with standard therapy do not increase the cure rate in CL.