A REVIEW ON LEUCODERMA AND REPORTED HERBS FOR ITS TREATMENT

Abstract

Leucoderma is an idiopathic, acquired depigmenting disorder characterized by the loss of functional melanocytes from the epidermis. The pathogenesis of leucoderma is multifunctional and includes three main factors genetic, immunological and environmental. Recently , various treatments modalities have been introduced , and treatment options and outcomes have been improving. Excimer laser, phototherapy, epidermal grafts and lifestyle modification have improved the results of treatment and quality of lives of patients with leucoderma. Topical therapy is employed as first-line treatment in localized leucoderma. Plants have been the basis of many traditional medicines throughout the world for thousands of years and continue to provide new remedies to mankind. Plants have been one of the important sources of medicines since the beginning of human civilization. The recent resurgence of plant remedies resulted from several factors, such as effectiveness of plant medicines and lesser side effects compared with modern medicines. Psoralen containing plants have been used for centuries in popular medicine to treat leucoderma. Further advancement in treatments using different derivatives of psoralen molecules may result in decrease possibility of long-term side effects such as cutaneous malignancies. In this review we wish to present recent pharmacological approaches of furanocoumarins and a detailed investigation on various herbs that can be used for the treatment of leucoderma