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Treatment of vitiligo vulgaris with narrow‐band UVB and oral Polypodium leucotomos extract: a randomized double‐blind placebo‐controlled study
Author(s) -
MiddelkampHup MA,
Bos JD,
RiusDiaz F,
Gonzalez S,
Westerhof W
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of the european academy of dermatology and venereology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.655
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1468-3083
pISSN - 0926-9959
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-3083.2006.02132.x
Subject(s) - medicine , vitiligo , placebo , dermatology , trunk , head and neck , surgery , pathology , alternative medicine , biology , ecology
Background The first choice treatment for vitiligo vulgaris is narrow‐band UVB (NB‐UVB), but no satisfactory treatment exists. Objectives To investigate if Polypodium leucotomos , an antioxidative and immunomodulatory plant extract, improves NB‐UVB‐induced repigmentation. Methods Fifty patients with vitiligo vulgaris randomly received 250 mg oral P. leucotomos or placebo three times daily, combined with NB‐UVB twice weekly for 25–26 weeks. Results Repigmentation was higher in the P. leucotomos group vs. placebo in the head and neck area (44% vs. 27%, P = 0.06). Small repigmentation increases ( P = n.s.) were observed for the trunk (6% increased repigmentation), extremities (4%), and hands and feet (5%) in the P. leucotomos group vs. placebo. Patients attending more than 80% of required NB‐UVB sessions showed increased repigmentation in the head and neck area in the P. leucotomos group vs. placebo (50% vs. 19%, P < 0.002); no significant differences were seen in the other body areas. Patients with skin types 2 and 3 showed more repigmentation in the head and neck area in the P. leucotomos group vs. placebo (47% vs. 21%, P = 0.01), and no significant differences were seen in the other body areas. No conclusions could be drawn on skin types 4 and 5 due to low patient numbers. Conclusion There is a clear trend towards an increase in repigmentation of vitiligo vulgaris affecting the head and neck area when NB‐UVB phototherapy is combined with oral P. leucotomos . This effect may be more pronounced in light skin types.