The Efficacy and Safety of French Maritime Pine Bark Extract in the ​Form of MSCC Complex Actinosome on Melasma​

Shahrir MS et al, J of Int Med Dec 2004​

Participants:

30 healthy adult female Melasma patients from the Dermatology clinic of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia                                                                        ​

• 15 subjects – placebo arm (group A)​
• 15 subjects – FMPBE arm (group B)Participants:

I:

Patients were required to take one capsule containing 40mg of FMPB extract in the form of MSCC Complex twice a day for 30 days. Following 30 days of treatment, the patients were followed up for two weeks and subsequently switched over to the opposite arm for thirty days. ​

Outcome:

First ONE Month Period

• Treatment group: mean lightening of intensity of pigmentation (L): ​increased by 1.53±0.51 units (p=0.003)​
  mean total area of melasma: decreased by 29.62±49.09 mm2 (p=0.401)​

Post- crossover period:​

• Treatment group: ​mean lightening of intensity of pigmentation (L): increased by 0.57±0.01 units (p=0.245)​
  mean total area of melasma: decreased by 60.64±46.14 mm2 (p=0.006)​

Combined Treatment versus Combined Untreated Group​

• Combined Treated Group​
  mean lightening of intensity of pigmentation (L): increased by 1.07±0.39 units (p=0.004)​
  mean total area of melasma: decreased by 43.83±28.54 mm2 (p=0.02)​
• Combined Untreated Group​
  mean lightening of intensity of pigmentation (L): increased by 0.31±0.53 units (p=0.432)​
  mean total area of melasma: decreased by 63.83±57.38 mm2 (p=0.368)​

Conclusion:

There was significant improvement in the degree of lightening of the skin in the treatment group following the one month period of treatment when compared to the placebo group for which the changes was not significant​.

​Oral dose of 80 mg FMPBE in the form of MSSC complex for one month​ gives minor side effects such as minor GI symptoms but no severe adverse effect or abnormality in the blood investigations.​

Read the full study here.