DOI: 10.21276/sajp.2019.8.6.3

Pages: 286-298

Vitiligo is an acquired cutaneous autoimmune disorder of pigmentation, with an incidence of 1% to 2% worldwide. There are many hypotheses for the pathogenesis of vitiligo. Recent data provide strong evidence supporting an autoimmune pathogenesis of vitiligo. The quality of life is majorly affected by symptoms of vitiligo. The immune system is targeted by medical treatments and tries to reverse the destruction. The goal is to restore the skin's color by restoring healthy melanocytes to the affected area. Topical therapy is employed as first-line treatment in localized vitiligo. Plants have been the basis of many traditional medicines throughout the world for thousands of years and continue to provide new remedies to mankind. T cells from vitiligo skin are highly reactive towards melanoma cells and serve as an effective source to treat melanoma and stays as a solution for vitiligo. There have been many treatments to cure vitiligo such as use of steroid creams, narrow band UVB (ultraviolet B), PUVA (psoralen and ultraviolet A light), various surgical techniques, vitamin D analogues and pseudocatalase. These treatments are subjected for undesired side effects whereas some herbal and natural treatments act against the immune system with no side effects. Thus, the recent resurgence of plant remedies resulted from several factors, such as effectiveness of plant medicines and lesser side effects as compared with modern medicines. This review presently gives a detailed investigation on various herbs and different treatments modalities that can be used for the treatment of vitiligo