A clinical trial of topical bleaching treatment with nanoscale tretinoin particles and hydroquinone for hyperpigmented skin lesions.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Although combined use of tretinoin (all-trans-retinoic acid; atRA) and hydroquinone improves various hyperpigmented lesions, the pharmacologic instability of atRA and atRA-induced irritant dermatitis are difficult unsolved problems.

OBJECTIVE:

The objective was to evaluate the efficacy and adverse effects of a newly formulated gel containing inorganic-coated atRA nanoscale particles (nano-atRA gel).

METHODS:

Nano-atRA gel was used in our two-phased bleaching protocol: 5% hydroquinone and 7% lactic acid ointment were used along with nano-atRA gel in the bleaching phase (2-8 weeks), and 5% hydroquinone and 7% ascorbic acid ointment were used alone during the healing phase (4-8 weeks). Eighty-four patients with facial hyperpigmented lesions were enrolled in this study, and 77 of them (88 lesions) followed up for more than 10 weeks were analyzed.

RESULTS:

Hyperpigmentation was improved in 84 of 88 lesions (95.5%) after a mean treatment period of 14.3 weeks and was almost eliminated in 52 lesions (59.1%). Nano-atRA gel caused exfoliation and scaling similar to that seen with conventional atRA gel, whereas the erythema seen in the bleaching phase appeared to be weaker.

CONCLUSION:

Nano-atRA gel can improve hyperpigmentation to a similar extent as conventional atRA gel. It also induces irritant dermatitis, but with less erythema.

• Authors: Katsujiro Sato, Daisuke Matsumoto, Fumiko Iizuka, Emiko Aiba-Kojima, Chiaki Machino, Hirotaka Suga, Asami Watanabe-Ono, Keita Inoue, Koichi Gonda, Kotaro Yoshimura
• Journal: Dermatologic surgery : official publication for American Society for Dermatologic Surgery [et al.] (Dermatol Surg) Vol. 33 Issue 8 Pg. 937-44 (Aug 2007) ISSN: 1076-0512 [Print] United States
• PMID: 17661936 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Ointments
• Tretinoin
• hydroquinidine
• Quinidine

Topics

• Administration, Topical
• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Drug Therapy, Combination
• Female
• Humans
• Hyperpigmentation (drug therapy)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Nanoparticles
• Ointments
• Quinidine (administration & dosage, adverse effects, analogs & derivatives)
• Tretinoin (administration & dosage, adverse effects)