Abstract:
Fair skin has been considered as a long-lasting ideal beauty value in Asian countries, and the popularity of having fair skin is still increasing gradually in Thailand. Jasmine rice is the main source of worlds nutrition and Thailands economic crops, with beneficial usage in medical treatment. The main component of Jasmine rice is phenolic compounds, which show cutaneous benefits and activity towards skin disorders. Presently, an in vitro experiment conducted in laboratory demonstrates its benefit in skin whitening effect by suppressing melanogenesis via tyrosinase and TRP-2 inhibitory effects. Moreover, a study in human (in vivo) compared Jasmine rice cream with placebo cream and found that Jasmine rice cream can significantly brighten up skin. However, there is no comparison in terms of whitening efficacy between Jasmine rice cream and others creams that are popular in general market, such as alpha arbutin.
OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of 0.1% Jasmine rice cream with 2 % Alpha arbutin cream in the treatment of facial whitening in Thai patients .
METHODS: The study was designed as double-blind, randomized, and controlled clinical trial. A total of 22 patients (15 females and 7 males; age 2055 years) were enrolled. The patients were randomly selected for application of either 0.1% Jasmine rice cream or 2% Alpha arbutin cream in a split-faced design (right and left side) and applied twice daily for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was assessed by using mean melanin index measured from Mexameter MX18® and photographs from VISIA®, evaluation was performed every 4-week interval. Secondary outcome were side-effects and patients satisfaction, evaluated by questionnaires on 12th week.
RESULTS: Twenty-two patients completedin the study. Both groups demonstrated the statistically significant for mean melanin index reduction from the baselines to at 4th, 8th, and 12th week of visit, respectively. 0.1% jasmine rice cream has statistically significant better mean melanin index reduction from the baseline than 2% alpha arbutin cream at 4th and 8thweek visit. (forehead p < 0.001 , p=0.002 cheek p= 0.012 , p=0.001 corner of mouth p= 0.008 , p=0.005 1respectively) However, global photographic scores between the two groups revealed no statistical difference. In terms of patients satisfaction, 0.1% Jasmine rice cream group had more favorable satisfactory improvement than 2% alpha arbutin cream group. No adverse effect was reported.
CONCLUSION: 0.1% jasmine rice cream is effective in term of melanin index reduction and patients satisfaction than 2% alpha arbutin cream for the facial whitening effect and has no side effect. Thus, 0.1% jasmine rice cream represents as one of the alternative cream options for facial whitening.