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The Efficacy of Bakuchiol in Treating PIH

The Efficacy of Bakuchiol in Treating Post-inflammatory Hyperpigmentation

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06833996
Enrollment
22
Registered
2025-02-19
Start date
2016-02-22
Completion date
2019-05-05
Last updated
2025-02-19

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation

Brief summary

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) is an acquired hyper melanosis that occurs after cutaneous inflammation or injury frequently affecting darker skinned individuals. Bakuchiol is derived from plants and has inhibitory effects on melanin synthesis, which makes it a promising therapeutic intervention in the management of PIH. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of bakuchiol in treating post inflammatory hyperpigmentation using the investigators previously validated model in comparison to acne induced PIH.

Detailed description

Post inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) is an acquired hyper melanosis that occurs after cutaneous inflammation or injury. This process can occur in all skin types but more frequently affects darker skinned patients, such as African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders and those of Middle Eastern descent. PIH can occur after infection, allergic reactions, contact dermatitis, some medications, burns, following procedures, or inflammatory disease such as acne. In skin of color, PIH frequently occurs in resolving acne lesions and can persist for months after the acne lesion itself has disappeared. In many cases, the resulting PIH can be more distressing than the original insult. During the investigators previous study on an in-vivo model for post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, the investigators investigated the clinical, spectroscopic and histologic characteristics of acne-induced PIH versus irritant induced PIH using Trichloroacetic acid (TCA), 35% solution. From this initial study, the investigators concluded that the similarity of Investigator's Global Assessment scores, and spectroscopic measurements using Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy and Colorimetry in both acne and TCA-induced PIH at Day 28 suggest that TCA-induced PIH could be a reproducible model for acne induced PIH. Bakuchiol is a meroterpene phenol derived from plant sources, such as the leaves and seeds of Psoralea corylifolia and the fruits of Piper longum. It has been reported to have anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and antioxidant properties, as well as cause improvement in photodamaged skin. In-vitro studies on melanin production showed that bakuchiol had inhibitory effects on melanin synthesis, which make it a promising therapeutic intervention in the management of PIH. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of bakuchiol in treating post inflammatory hyperpigmentation using the investigators previously validated model in comparison to acne induced PIH.

Interventions

Apply bakuchiol cream twice daily to a select acne induced and TCA induced PIH spot for a total of 28 days

DRUGVehicle

Apply vehicle cream twice daily to a select acne induced and TCA induced PIH spot for a total of 28 days

Sponsors

Henry Ford Health System
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 100 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Patients with types IV-VI skin * Minimum age of 18 years * Able to understand requirements of the study and risks involved * Able to sign a consent form. * Existing facial acne pustules (at least three on the face) with history of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation

Exclusion criteria

* Patients with a recent history of vitiligo, melasma, and other disorders of pigmentation with the exception of PIH judged to be clinically significant by the investigator * Patients with a history of cystic acne or acne conglobate * Patients on systemic antibiotics or keratolytics (isotretinoin, etc), or topical antibiotics or keratolytic use (retinoids, benzoyl peroxide) over target areas who are unwilling to stop these medications for the duration of the study.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
The degree of hyperpigmentation after treatment with bakuchiol56 daysPigment will be determined using an Investigators Global Assessment scale IGA Hyperpigmentation Description of Hyperpigmentation 0 Clear of hyperpigmentation 1. Almost clear of hyperpigmentation 2. Mild, but noticeable hyperpigmentation 3. Moderate hyperpigmentation (medium brown in quality) 4. Severe hyperpigmentation (dark brown in quality) 5. Very severe hyperpigmentation (very dark brown, almost black in quality)

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026