For centuries, traditional medical practitioners and herbalists have used a wide array of herbal remedies to treat acne and other skin disorders. Contemporary medical research has confirmed the efficacy of some of these herbal medicines, and scientific studies continue on others. Dermatologists in the United States, as well as their patients, are beginning to look more closely at these herbal remedies and the role that they can play in a balanced treatment plan.
Tea Tree Oil
Dermatologists Monica K. Bedi and Philip D. Shenefelt, M.D., an associate professor of dermatology and cutaneous surgery at the University of South Florida, point to tea tree oil as one of several herbs that have been used successfully in the treatment of acne. In an article in the February 2002 issue of "Archives of Dermatology," Bedi and Shenefelt cite a 1990 study that showed positive results in patients treated with 5 percent tea tree oil in a water-based gel. The control group in that study received 5 percent benzoyl peroxide, a widely used acne medication. Although the tea tree oil gel worked more slowly than the benzoyl peroxide, by the end of the three-month study period it successfully treated more acne lesions than the latter. Moreover, it had fewer adverse side effects, such as irritation, drying and itching, compared with the benzoyl peroxide.
Fruit Acids
Alpha hydroxy acids, also known as fruit acids, also have performed well in the treatment of acne. A double-blind Australian study showed that a specific AHA, gluconolactone, performed as well as benzoyl peroxide in the treatment of acne without causing as many side effects. Published in a 1992 issue of the "Australasian Journal of Dermatology," the study covered 150 acne patients. Researchers treated the first group with 14 percent gluconolactone in solution, a second group got only the non-active solution (placebo) and the third was given a 5 percent benzoyl peroxide lotion. At the conclusion of the study period, researchers found that both gluconolactone and benzoyl peroxide reduced patients' acne lesions---both active and inactive---significantly, but the group receiving the gluconolactone preparation experienced fewer side effects.
Chasteberry
Chasteberry, known scientifically as Vitex agnus castus, shows promise in the treatment of premenstrual acne, according to Bedi and Shenefelt. Many women use the herb for the relief of the multiple symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, although the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine points out that clinical studies have not yet conclusively proved its efficacy. Scientists believe that the whole-fruit extract of the chasteberry works in the pituitary gland to increase progesterone levels and reduce estrogen levels. Bedi and Shenefelt caution that chasteberry should not be taken by pregnant women or mothers who are breastfeeding.
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