Pseudocatalase – with UVB NB shows promise for Vitiligo Patients

The treatment(s) by Professor Schallreuter are only available in the UK and Germany.

In the late nineties and early in this millennium, the treatment of choice for many was a promising concept developed by Karin U Schallreuter in Germany and England along with a team of researchers at Bradford University in the UK.

She published a paper entitled “Epidermal H2O2 Accumulation Alters Tetrahydrobiopterin (6BH4) Recycling in Vitiligo: Identi®cation of a General Mechanism in Regulation of All 6BH4-Dependent Processes?”

Dr. Schallreuter’s Website < www.vitiligo.eu.com/home_english.htm >

The full paper is available at < Click Here for complete article >

From the paper…

The topical application of this narrow band (311 nm) ultraviolet B (UVB) activated complex yielded four fundamental clinical results:

1. the arrest of an active depigmentation process in 95% of the patients (Schallreuter et al, 1995, 1999);
2. the recovery of epidermal cells from intracellular vacuolation (Schallreuter et al, 1999; Tobin et al, 2000);
3. a successful repigmentation in 60%±65% of all patients treated so far (n > 700); and
4. initiation of repigmentation independent of the duration of the disease (Schallreuter et al, 1995, 1999).

A second paper was published in 2008 entitled…

“From basic research to the bedside: efficacy of topical treatment with pseudocatalase PC-KUS in 71 children with vitiligo.”

From that paper …

AUTHORS: Schallreuter KU, Krüger C, Würfel BA, Panske A, Wood JM.
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, UK. K.Schallreuter@Bradford.ac.uk

BACKGROUND: The epidermal accumulation of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) has been documented in vitiligo. AIM: To assess the effect on disease cessation and repigmentation of the reduction/removal of H(2)O(2) using low-dose, narrow-band, ultraviolet-B (UV-B)-activated pseudocatalase PC-KUS in 71 children with vitiligo.

METHODS: This uncontrolled and retrospective study included 45 girls and 26 boys (mean age, 10.3 years) who applied topical PC-KUS twice daily to the entire body surface without narrow-band UV-B dose increments. The affected body areas were documented by special photography at the first visit and after 8-12 months. The response was evaluated by two independent physicians as > 75% vs. < 75% total repigmentation of the face/neck, trunk, extremities, and hands/feet. Generalized (n = 61) and segmental (n = 10) vitiligo were evaluated as different entities. The effect of total-body, low-dose, narrow-band UV-B (0.15 mJ/cm(2)) monotherapy once daily without any increments and without application of PC-KUS was tested over 6 months in 10 children with vitiligo vulgaris (mean age, 8.4 years).

RESULTS: One hundred per cent cessation was observed in 70 of the 71 children. More than 75% repigmentation was achieved in 66 of 71 patients on the face/neck, 48 of 61 on the trunk, and 40 of 55 on the extremities; however, repigmentation on the hands/feet was disappointing (five of 53). The response was independent of skin color, age of onset, duration of disease, other demographic features, and previous treatments. *** The follow-up after narrow-band UV-B monotherapy showed no significant repigmentation in all areas. Seven of 10 patients showed progression of their vitiligo.

CONCLUSION: A reduction in epidermal H(2)O(2) using low-dose, narrow-band UV-B-activated pseudocatalase PC-KUS is an effective treatment for childhood vitiligo which can be safely performed at home.

*** UVGuy’s Note: Monotherapy using a dose of .15 mj per day without Pseudocatalase is not typically prescribed as a treatment for Vitiligo so Professor Schallreuter’s comment saying that “The follow-up after narrow-band UV-B monotherapy showed no significant repigmentation in all areas.” is what I would expect. UVB NB dosages / treatment times are considerably higher when used as a stanalone treatment modality.