Vitamins and antioxidants: Topical and systemic

Abstract

The therapeutic approach with antioxidants originated from the description of the occurrence of the oxidative stress and possible vitamin deficiency in vitiligo patients, involving melanocytes and other epidermal as well as nonepidermal cells [4, 14], and, besides possible nutritional aspects, of the mostly neurogenic view of vitiligo for vitamin B12 and folic acid (Chap 2.2.3). Increased production of H2O2, biopterins and catecholamines, defective expression and/or activity of the antioxidant enzymes catalase and glutathione peroxidise in addition to lipid peroxidation are the metabolic alterations reported by the literature [4, 14] (Chap. 2.2.6). In the last decade, several studies looking at the efficacy of vitamins and antioxidants in vitiligo have been performed. However, published studies are frequenly of poor quality, involving a small number of patients, or are lacking control groups, follow-up, or relevant clinical data. © 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.