A pilot clinical study to evaluate the effectiveness of olive extract containing hydroxytyrosol for oral and topical treatment of melasma

Abstract

Melasma is a common hyperpigmentation that can cause impairment of quality of life. Current melasma treatments present limitations and adjuvant treatments are of great interest.. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of an oral and topical treatment based on olive extract containing hydroxytyrosol for melasma control. A pilot clinical study was conducted with 42 women with melasma, randomized in three groups of 14 participants - control, oral or topical, who received daily treatment containing hydroxytyrosol or placebo for 90 days. Melasma was evaluated once a month using the melasma area and severity index (mMASI) and the melanin and erythema index. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA between the groups and paired ANOVA (RM) in each group individually. The melanin index and mMASI resulted in reduced values for oral treatment, compared to the control and topical group with no significant difference (p> 0.05). However, oral treatment evaluated paired by time showed a significant reduction in mMASI (p <0.0001) and melanin index (p = 0.0466) after 60 days. Finally, the treatments with olive extract based on hydroxytyrosol showed great potential for the control of melasma or as an adjunctive to traditional dermatological treatment.