scholarly journals Irritant Contact Dermatitis Risk of Common Topical Traditional Chinese Medicines Used for Skin-Lightening: A Pilot Clinical Trial with 30 Volunteers

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kao-Sung Tsai ◽  
Tzu-Chun Lin ◽  
Meng-Tse Wu ◽  
Jui-Lung Shen ◽  
Ming-Ya Mao ◽  
...  

Topical traditional Chinese medicine- (TTCM-) related contact dermatitis is not uncommon but ignored. Patch and photopatch tests using 6 individual herbal ingredients and Bai-Zhi-Kao (BZK;白芷膏), a skin-lightening TTCM preparation, were conducted on 30 participants. Twenty-five subjects showed at least 1 positive reaction, including 6 (20.0%) participants who reacted to BZK. The majority reacted to RadixAmpelopsis japonica(Bai-Lian;白蘞) (60.0%), whereas few reacted to Rhizoma Bletilla striata (Bai-Ji;白芨) (16.7%), RhizomaAtractylodis macrocephalae(Bai-Zhu;白朮) (10.0%), RadixAngelicae dahuricae(Bai-Zhi;白芷) (3.3%), and Herba asari (Xi-Xin;細辛) (3.3%). In the photopatch test, 3 participants (10.0%) reacted positively to BZK and 10 to ≥1 constituent; however, all reacted to RadixAngelicae dahuricae(26.7%), RadixAmpelopsis japonica(13.3%), and Rhizoma Bletilla striata (3.3%). In contrast, no subjects showed positive reactions to Sclerotium Poria cocos (Bai-Fu-Ling;白茯苓). Thus, BZK and its constituents might present potential latent risk of contact dermatitis owing to the possible presence of RadixAmpelopsis japonicaand RadixAngelicae dahuricae. Furthermore, TTCMs, particularly cosmetic products, must be used carefully, with ample warning of potential contact dermatitis risk.

2000 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 372-374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joy Y. Chen ◽  
Rhea Phillips ◽  
Alan T. Lewis ◽  
Long T. Quan ◽  
Sylvia Hsu ◽  
...  

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