Herbal medicinal products in dermatology

Abstract

Herbal medicinal products (HMPs) are used in dermatology, primarily for treating inflammatory and infectious diseases, and as an aid in healing of minor injuries (minor wounds and burns). Their pharmacological effects are frequently a result of a synergistic action of many types of secondary plant metabolites (flavonoids, phenolic acids, terpenoids, tannins, saponins, mucilages, etc.). Examples of herbal drugs (herbal substances) and herbal drug preparations (herbal preparations) which are used for preparing HMPs with application in aforementioned indications are chamomile flower (Matricariae flos), marigold flower (Calendulae flos), witch hazel bark or leaf (Hamamelidis cortex seu folium), St. John's wort herb (Hyperici herba), evening primrose oil (Oenotherae oleum) and tea tree oil (Melaleucae aetheroleum). Their application in dermatology is mostly based on long-standing use and experience, and also on results of pharmacological investigations. Rarely efficacy of HMPs has been confirmed clinically. According to monographs of herbal substances or herbal preparations which has been prepared by Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (EMA/HMPC) of the European Medicines Agency, all HMPs that are used in dermatology has been classified as traditional HMPs. Even though HMPs are not as efficient as synthetic medicines, patients readily use them, as their undesirable effects are less prominent.

Biljni lekoviti proizvodi (BLP) koriste se u dermatologiji najčešće kod inflamatornih i infektivnih oboljenja, kao i za lečenje manjih ozleda kože (manje rane i opekotine). Farmakološki efekti BLP često se ostvaruju sinergističkim delovanjem većeg broja sekundarnih biljnih metabolita (flavonoidi, fenolkarboksilne kiseline, terpenoidi, tanini, saponozidi, sluzi i dr.). Neke biljne sirovine za izradu BLP koje se koriste u navedenim indikacionim područjima su npr. cvast kamilice (Matricariae flos), cvast nevena (Calendulae flos), kora ili list hamamelisa (Hamamelidis cortex seu folium), herba kantariona (Hyperici herba), masno ulje noćurka (Oenotherae oleum) i etarsko ulje čajevca (Melaleucae aetheroleum). Upotreba BLP u dermatologiji je uglavnom zasnovana na dugogodišnjoj primeni i iskustvu, kao i na rezultatima farmakoloških ispitivanja, dok je za mali broj efikasnost klinički potvrđena. Prema monografijama biljnih droga i preparata biljnih droga koje je do sada pripremio Komitet za biljne lekovite proizvode Evropske agencije za lekove (EMA/HMPC), svi BLP namenjeni za primenu u dermatologiji imaju status tradicionalnih biljnih lekova. Iako po efikasnosti BLP zaostaju za sintetskim lekovima, pacijenti ih vrlo rado koriste zbog manje izraženih neželjenih reakcija.