[Phototoxic dermatitis following the use of Ammi majus fruit for vitiligo].

The injudicious use of a systemically administered herb containing psoralens derived from the fruits of Ammi majus in combination with exposure of the skin to the sun caused a severe phototoxic dermatitis in a Moroccan patient with vitiligo. She was disappointed in the treatment by the dermatologist. A family member advised her to start the treatment with herbs. The identification of the herbs by microscopic, chromatographic and biological techniques demonstrated that they contained the linear furanocoumarins (psoralens) 5-MOP, 8-MOP and oxypeucedanin each in a concentration of approx. 1%. Because of the large immigrant population in our country we expect to see more cases in the future.