Namazi Mohammad Reza, Shotorbani Amir Kalafi
Molecular Dermatology Research Center, Department of Dermatology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran ; Skin and Stem Cell Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Molecular Dermatology Research Center, Department of Dermatology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran ; Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Iran J Med Sci. 2015 Nov;40(6):478-84.
Vitiligo is an acquired disease of skin that presents with depigmented patches due to lack of melanocytes in the epidermis. Accumulation of toxic free radicals like hydrogen peroxide in the epidermis may be responsible for melanocytes death. Since ethyl vanillate (vanillic acid ethyl ester) is a strong hydrogen peroxide scavenger, it may be effective against vitiligo. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of ethyl vanillate cream on vitiligo patients receiving phototherapy.
A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial using ethyl vanillate cream 20% was performed on 30 cases of generalized stable vitiligo (randomly selected) who were receiving phototherapy in the outpatient clinic of Faghihi Hospital (Shiraz, Iran). The patients randomly applied ethyl vanillate on an assigned lesion (left or right side of the body) and placebo on the opposite side lesion (almost the same size and location) twice a day for 3 months, while receiving a narrow band ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) 2-3 times weekly. Photos were taken at the beginning of the trial and at the end of 4(th), 8(th), and 12(th) weeks. Then, images were compared with the photos from the beginning of the trial based on VASI score.
There was a significant change in pigmentation after applying ethyl vanillate compared with baseline in medication side (P=0.002), but no significant change in placebo side (P=0.066). Additionally, there was a significant difference between medication and placebo sides in pigmentation (P=0.005).
Ethyl vanillate may serve as an adjunct therapy for the treatment of vitiligo, although changes in pigmentation are mild clinically.
白癜风是一种获得性皮肤病，由于表皮中黑素细胞缺乏而出现色素脱失斑。表皮中过氧化氢等有毒自由基的积累可能是黑素细胞死亡的原因。由于香草酸乙酯（乙基香草酸酯）是一种强大的过氧化氢清除剂，它可能对白癜风有效。本研究旨在评估香草酸乙酯乳膏对接受光疗的白癜风患者的疗效。
在法吉希医院（伊朗设拉子）门诊接受光疗的30例泛发性稳定期白癜风患者（随机选择）中，进行了一项使用20%香草酸乙酯乳膏的双盲安慰剂对照临床试验。患者每天两次在指定皮损（身体左侧或右侧）上随机涂抹香草酸乙酯，在对侧皮损（大小和位置几乎相同）上涂抹安慰剂，持续3个月，同时每周接受2 - 3次窄谱中波紫外线（NB - UVB）照射。在试验开始时以及第4、8和12周结束时拍照。然后，根据白癜风面积和严重程度指数（VASI）评分，将图像与试验开始时的照片进行比较。
与用药侧基线相比，涂抹香草酸乙酯后色素沉着有显著变化（P = 0.002），但安慰剂侧无显著变化（P = 0.066）。此外，用药侧和安慰剂侧在色素沉着方面存在显著差异（P = 0.005）。
香草酸乙酯可作为白癜风治疗的辅助疗法，尽管临床上色素沉着变化轻微。
