The Use of Botanical Extracts in East Asia for Treatment of Hyperpigmentation: An Evidenced-Based Review

Recent years have seen a growth in the Asian cosmeceutical industry and an expanding worldwide marketplace with increasing consumer use of plant-based skin care products. The rising prevalence of Asian cosmeceuticals has led to research studies assessing the safety and efficacy of these products. We seek to review current evidence on safety and efficacy of key ingredients used in Asian cosmeceuticals to treat disorders of hyperpigmentation. A comprehensive search on PubMed was conducted to identify hyperpigmentation-related research studies on eight popular ingredients used in Asian cosmeceuticals: green tea, soy, orchid, licorice, rice water, ginseng, bamboo, and aloe. Both in vitro studies and clinical trials involving human subjects were included. Of the ingredients reviewed, soy and licorice had the most clinical evidence supporting their efficacy, while all other ingredients were supported by in vitro studies. More research is needed to further evaluate the safety and efficacy of Asian cosmeceutical ingredients in treatment of hyperpigmentation. J Drugs Dermatol. 2020;19(7): doi:10.36849/JDD.2020.4776.