Foreword:
Long-term exposure of the face and neck to the sun will cause the most common pigmented disease-chloasma, and the most common manifestation is macular hyperpigmentation.
French Maritime Pine Bark (FMPB) is a complex of natural ingredients, which contains anthocyanin oligomers or proanthocyanidins, namely monomers, dimers and trimers of catechin and epicatechin, up to pentamerization body. They are polyphenols, but have special properties and are soluble in water. In the plant kingdom, they are bioflavonoid antioxidants, which are pigments, antioxidant organic acids and other biologically active ingredients that protect plants from free radical damage.
Research methods:
This double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled study recruited 30 women with melasma. The study was divided into 2 groups, each of which included 15 women. The first group consisted of test drugs, and the second group consisted of placebo drugs. They received 40 mg of FMPB extract twice a day with MSCC complex or placebo capsules twice a day for a total of 30 days, followed by a 2-week washout period. Following the crossover phase, the first group of patients will receive the placebo medication and the second group of patients will receive the FMPB extract for 30 days. Clinical evaluation of chloasma, tracking the area of chloasma and calculating the total area, and measuring the degree of lightening of the chloasma using a skin colorimeter.
Research result:
The efficacy evaluation during the first month showed the following. The average reduction of pigmentation intensity (L) in group B (treatment group) before and after treatment was 54.41±3.36 units and 55.94±3.37 units, respectively. In group A (placebo group), the average reduction in pigmentation intensity (L) before and after the placebo administration was 56.08±3.47 units and 56.80±4.08 units, respectively. The brightness of the skin has been significantly improved.
Group B (p=0.003) did not change significantly compared with group A (p=0.108) after one month of treatment. The total area of chloasma in group B decreased from the average total area of chloasma before treatment by 300.23±322.86 mm² to 270.62±273.78 mm² after treatment, a decrease of 29.62±49.09 mm², but it was not statistically significant (p=0.401). In group A, the average total area of chloasma before placebo treatment was 303.91±297.09 mm², and after treatment it decreased to 238.00±215.20 mm². The average total area of melasma was reduced by 65.91±81.89 mm², but it was not significant (p = 0.447)
in conclusion
Compared with the placebo group, which did not change significantly, after a one-month treatment period, the skin lightening degree of the treatment group was significantly improved. The average total area of chloasma decreased in both groups, but the change in the placebo group was not statistically significant.
Compared with the placebo group, the area of the treatment group improved significantly after one month of treatment after the crossover period. Compared with the placebo group where the degree of lightening decreased, the degree of skin lightening in the treatment group increased, but the changes in the two groups were not statistically significant. In the combination treatment group, as shown by a significant increase in skin lightening and a significant decrease in the area of chloasma, there was a significant improvement in chloasma. The placebo group also showed some improvement in the degree of lightening and reduction in chloasma area, but these changes were not statistically significant.
Oral administration of 80 mg of FMPB extract in the form of MSCC complex for one month will produce mild side effects, such as mild gastrointestinal symptoms, but will not cause serious side effects or abnormal blood tests.