engleski

MEDICINAL PLANTS IN TREATMENT OF DERMATOLOGIC AND VENEREOLOGIC DISORDERS

Introduction and objectives: Medicinal plants have been used for treating various skin diseases for thousands of years. Specific herbs and their uses developed regionally, based on locally available plants. Here we provide a review of herbal medications used in treatment of frequent chronic skin diseases. Materials, Methods & Results: Vitiligo Vitiligo is a common autoimmune disorder of depigmentation affecting 0.5-4% of population. Current treatment options include topical corticosteroids, calcineurin inhibitors, vitamin D analogs, phototherapy, laser therapy, and surgery. Since the treatment results are often slow and unsatisfactory, there is great interest in other treatment modalities, such as preparations containing medicinal plants or its active compounds: Polypodium leucotomos L., Khellin and Ginkgo biloba L. Alopecia Depending on its acuity and extent, hair loss is an important cause of anxiety and disability. There are various causes for hair loss (alopecia). The treatments offered include both natural or synthetic products to treat the condition. Some of the most widely researched plants for hair growth promoting activity are: Rosmarinus officinalis L., Panax ginseng C.A.Mey., Allium cepa L. Psoriasis Psoriasis is a chronic, recurrent inflammatory skin disease with a genetic component. The classic psoriatic lesion is an erythematous plaque with silvery scale. Most efficacious and most studied topical botanical therapeutics in psoriasis treatment are: Mahonia aquifolium (Pursh.) Nutt. (barberry or Oregon grape) Indigo naturalis is a Chinese herbal remedy prepared from the plant Strobilanthes formosanus Moore. The major active component is indirubin, which promotes differentiation, inhibits proliferation of epidermal keratinocytes, and has anti-inflammatory effects. The leaves of Aloe vera Barbadensis Mill. secrete a clear mucilaginous gel possessing numerous active ingredients with anti- inflammatory, anti- pruritic, and woundhealing properties. Capsicum frutescens L. The main active ingredient of this cayenne pepper is capsaicin. Genital warts (condylomata accuminata) Anogenital HPV infections are the most common sexually transmitted disease worldwide. The initial lesion is a tiny red papule. New lesions develop rapidly and all may coalesce, producing a cauliflower-like picture. A green tea extract - Sinecatechins 10% ointment is a new botanically based patient- administered therapy for external genital warts. Podophyllin is extracted from the root of Podophyllum peltatum L. A recent study has shown that combination therapy with podophyllin and cryotherapy is more efficient than cryotherapy alone. Conclusions: In recent years, there has been a resurgence of the use of herbs due to the awareness of side effects of chemically produced medications. More scientific evidences and documentation is needed for promotion of herbal treatment to dermatologic patients, which must be substantiated by reliable clinical trials.

dermatology, medicinal plants

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