Natural Remedies & Herbs for Vitiligo

In a double-blind study of 52 people with slowly spreading vitiligo, supplementation with Ginkgo biloba extract (standardized to contain 24% ginkgoflavonglycosides), in the amount of 40 mg three times per day for up to six months, resulted in marked to complete repigmentation in 40% of cases, compared with only 9% among those receiving a placebo.

An extract from khella (Ammi visnaga) may be useful in repigmenting the skin of people with vitiligo. Khellin, the active constituent, appears to work like psoralen drugs—it stimulates repigmentation of the skin by increasing sensitivity of remaining melanocytes to sunlight. Studies have used 120–160 mg of khellin per day.

In preliminary trial, Picrorhiza, in combination with the drug methoxsalen and sun exposure, was reported to hasten recovery in people with vitiligo compared with use of methoxsalen and sun exposure alone. Between 400 and 1,500 mg of powdered, encapsulated picrorhiza per day has been used in a variety of studies.