title: Treatment of vitiligo with a topical application of pseudocatalase and calcium in combination with short-term UVB exposure: a case study on 33 patients.
abstract: Thirty-three patients with the depigmentation disorder vitiligo were successfully treated with a new topical application of pseudocatalase, calcium and short-term UVB light exposure. First repigmentation occurred in the majority of cases after 2-4 months. Complete repigmentation on the face and dorsum of the hands appeared in 90% of the group. In all patients, active depigmentation was arrested. None of them developed new lesions during treatment. No recurrence of the disease was observed during a 2-year follow-up. The rationale for this pilot study originated from a recent understanding of vitiligo at the molecular level. The involved epidermis produces hydrogen peroxide due to defective tetrahydrobiopterin recycling and increased monoamine oxidase A activity, whereupon catalase is inactivated. In addition, calcium homeostasis is perturbed in the affected skin. The substitution for insufficient catalase by a pseudocatalase together with calcium and UVB exposure lead to effective repigmentation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: K U
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Schallreuter
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Lemke
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Levenig
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002118:Calcium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002374:Catalase / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012074:Remission Induction; D012880:Skin Pigmentation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; C038109:pseudocatalase; D002374:Catalase; D002118:Calcium