Planta Med 2004; 70(6): 483-488
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-827145
Original Paper
Clinical Study
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Clinical and Mycological Evaluation of Therapeutic Effectiveness of Solanum chrysotrichum Standardized Extract on Patients with Pityriasis capitis (Dandruff). A Double Blind and Randomized Clinical Trial Controlled with Ketoconazole

Armando Herrera-Arellano1 , Enrique Jiménez-Ferrer1 , Ana María Vega-Pimentel2 , María de los Ángeles Martínez-Rivera3 , Miriam Hernández-Hernández3 , Alejandro Zamilpa1 , Jaime Tortoriello1
  • 1Centro de Investigación Biomédica del Sur, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Xochitepec, Morelos, México
  • 2Hospital General Regional No. 1, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
  • 3Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Cd. de México, México
Further Information

Publication History

Received: November 26, 2003

Accepted: February 22, 2004

Publication Date:
01 July 2004 (online)

Abstract

Dandruff (also called Pityriasis capitis) is a seborrhoeic dermatitis of the scalp. It has been correlated with the pathological colonization of the scalp with yeast from the genus Malassezia; this illness has a worldwide distribution and represents 25 % of all scalp dermatosis cases. It has been demonstrated that the extract obtained from leaves of the plant Solanum chrysotrichum possesses biological activity against dermatophytes and yeast. Different steroidal saponins with antimycotic activity have been isolated from the active extract. Clinical trials with standardized extracts prepared with this vegetal species report high rates of clinical and mycological effectiveness in the treatment of Tinea pedis, without producing secondary effects. The aim of this randomized, double blind and controlled clinical study, was to compare the therapeutic effectiveness and tolerability of a shampoo containing a standardized extract of S. chrysotrichum (applied every third day, for 4 weeks), against 2 % ketoconazole in the topical treatment of Pityriasis capitis. From a total of 120 patients with the clinical diagnosis of Pityriasis capitis, 14 subjects were eliminated because the presence of Malassezia was not proved, another two patients withdrew from the study due to non-medical causes and one more withdrew because Tinea capitis was diagnosed. Therefore, the final analysis included 51 subjects in the experimental group and 52 in the control; in 45.6 % of the cases M. furfur was identified as the pathogenic agent, in 44.66 % M. globosa was isolated, and 9.71 % of the patients had a mixed infestation. At the end of the treatment period, the prepared phytopharmaceutical with the standardized extract from S. chrysotrichum achieved a clinical effectiveness (total absence of signs and symptoms produced by Pityriasis capitis) of 92.16 %; the mycological effectiveness (absence of Malassezia spp. in the direct examination and culture) was 68.63 %; whilst the tolerability (absence of side effects that prompt subjects to abandon the treatment) was 100 %. The therapeutic success (clinical and mycological effectiveness plus tolerability) was 64.71 %. The comparison of these results with that obtained from the group treated with 2 % ketoconazole, showed no significant differences (χ2, p > 0.23). These results show the therapeutic effectiveness and tolerability of the standardized extract from S. chrysotrichum on the local treatment of Pityriasis capitis associated with the yeast of the genus Malassezia.

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Dr. A. Herrera-Arellano

Centro de Investigación Biomédica del Sur

IMSS

Argentina 1 Xochitepec

Mor

México 62790

Phone: +52-777-3612-155

Fax: +52-777-3612-194

Email: armandoha_mx@yahoo.com.mx