AI Article Synopsis

  • Cysteamine isobionic-amide, a new depigmenting agent, was tested against the gold standard treatment, Modified Kligman's formula (mKF), for melasma in a clinical trial involving 80 patients.
  • Both treatments demonstrated equivalent effectiveness in reducing melasma severity at weeks 4 and 16, but cysteamine showed significantly higher patient satisfaction and quality of life improvements.
  • The study suggests that cysteamine isobionic-amide is a promising alternative to mKF for long-term melasma treatment, offering a faster onset of action and fewer side effects.

Article Abstract

Background: Modified Kligman's formula (mKF) is the gold standard treatment for melasma; however, its prolonged use is not recommended due to side effects. Cysteamine is a potent, safe, and effective depigmenting agent. Here, we conducted a double-blind, randomized, and placebo-controlled clinical trial to assess the efficacy of cysteamine isobionic-amide -- a complex with enhanced depigmenting efficacy -- and compared it to mKF for the treatment of melasma.

Methods: This study involved a total of 80 patients divided into 3 groups: cysteamine-isobionic amide, placebo, or mKF. The modified Melasma Area Severity Index (mMASI) score and spectrophotometric evaluation were conducted at baseline, week 4, week 8, and week 16. Dermatological assessment, patients’ feedback, and satisfaction including quality-of-life scores were also collected.

Results: At week 4, cysteamine isobionic-amide and mKF groups showed an equivalent onset of action in terms of mMASI and skin pigmentation contrast reduction. The 2 groups significantly reduced melasma severity and improved the overall skin condition with a comparable efficacy at week 16. Quality of life of melasma patients was significantly improved in the cysteamine isobionic-amide group at week 8 and further at week 16 (P<0.001) compared to the mKF group. Patients’ feedback and satisfaction were higher with the cysteamine isobionic-amide product compared to mKF.

Conclusion: Cysteamine isobionic-amide provided a rapid onset of action and was as effective as the mKF for the treatment of melasma. The data suggest that cysteamine isobionic-amide could potentially be an acceptable alternative to mKF for the long-term treatment of melasma. J Drugs Dermatol. 2024;23(2):9-16.  doi:10.36849/JDD.7428.

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Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.36849/JDD.7428DOI Listing

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View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Cysteamine isobionic-amide, a new depigmenting agent, was tested against the gold standard treatment, Modified Kligman's formula (mKF), for melasma in a clinical trial involving 80 patients.
  • Both treatments demonstrated equivalent effectiveness in reducing melasma severity at weeks 4 and 16, but cysteamine showed significantly higher patient satisfaction and quality of life improvements.
  • The study suggests that cysteamine isobionic-amide is a promising alternative to mKF for long-term melasma treatment, offering a faster onset of action and fewer side effects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

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