Kosmetische Medizin 4-2011: 176-183

Melanil cream in the treatment of melasma at the hospital Manuel Fajardo (Cuba), 2009-2010

GRAY LOVIO O1, DANIEL ABREU A1, PÉREZ ORTA G1, ABREU MR1, ZELENKOVA H2, STRACENSKA J2

1 Hospital Universitario Clínico Quirúrgico Manuel Fajardo, Havana, Cuba
2 DOST Svidnik, Slovak Republic

KEY WORDS: Melasma, Melanil, hydroquinone

SUMMARY:
Background: Numerous therapeutic options have been tried in the treatment of melasma, but none is completely effective. Alternative therapy has proven to be an important option in medicine. MelanilTM is a product that combines as its main active ingredients Glycyrrhiza glabra, Uva ursi extract and Morus alba for melasma treatment.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of MelanilTM cream in the treatment of melasma.

Method: Phase III open clinical trial, in two parallel groups, controlled and randomized at the dermatological service at the Hospital Universitario Clínico Quirúrgico Manuel Fajardo, Havana (Cuba), from October 2009 to October 2010. The patients were clinically diagnosed and by fluorescence, the sample being formed by 150 patients who met the inclusion criteria, two random groups of 75 each being established, treated topically with MelanilTM and hydroquinone 2%, respectively.

Results: Patients were mainly between 40 and 49 years old, female, skin photo type III and suffered from the midface and epidermal type of melasma. Both groups largely showed favourable responses, with the MelanilTM group being the most effective according to the Melasma Area and Severity Index (MASI) and photo documentation, without the presence in this case of any adverse reactions.

Conclusions: MelanilTM was effective in the treatment of melasma, with the advantage of being a formulation based on natural products with no adverse reactions.