Effect of monobenzyl ether of hydroquinone for advanced vitiligo patients

Background: Vitiligo is a common depigmentation disorder occurring in about 1% of the population worldwide. The disease causes the appearance of white patches on the skin. If vitiligo involves most of the body, it might be easier to depigment the normal remaining skin rather than to attempt repigmentation. For depigmentation therapy, monobenzyl ether of hydroquinone (MBEH) remains the only drug that the Food and Drug Administration approved for depigmentation therapy within the United States. The mechanism of toxicity of MBEH has remained little understood. Recently, Hariharan et al. reported that MBEH can induce cell death because of disintegration of cellular membranes without activating the caspase cascade or DNA fragmentation. Therefore, the death pathway may be non-apoptotic. JSID AbstractsJournal of Dermatological ScienceVol. 69Issue 2Preview Full-Text PDF