A RANDOMIZED SINGLE BLIND PLACEBO CONTROLLED CLINICAL STUDY TO EVALUATE EFFICACY OF AMALAKI (EMBLICA OFFICINALIS) EXTRACT CAPSULE ON ACNE VULGARIS ALONG WITH ITS ANTI-OXIDANT PROPERTY

Background and Objectives: Acne vulgaris is a chronic skin infection affecting the majority of teenagers and adolescents. It is a disease that affects almost 80% of individuals. Acne, by definition, is multi-factorial chronic inflammatory disease of the Pilosebaceous unit. Nowadays, herbal formulations are gaining popularity in the treatment of various diseases. By considering this fact, the present study was undertaken to prove the potential of Amalaki Capsule in the treatment of Acne. Methods: 24 patients were equally divided into two groups. One group (Trial group) was given two Amalaki capsule (each containing 250mg standardized extract) twice daily after meal for 60 days, while the other 12 patients (Control group) received two capsules of maize starch powder twice a day after meal for 60 days. Results: All 24 patients completed the treatment undertaken. No drop-out was observed. Highly significant (P< 0.001) effect was observed in Skin Hydration, Acne count, and Severity score in comparison to the Control group. The trial drug (Amalaki capsule) also showed good anti-oxidant property through different biochemical parameters. Conclusion: In the present placebo-controlled comparative clinical study, the Trial drug (Amalaki capsule) has effectively improved Skin hydration and reduced Acne count and Severity in Acne vulgaris patients. An increase in Total Anti-oxidant Capacity level and a decrease in IgE level shows that the Amalaki capsule has a potent Anti-oxidant effect.