What is Pseudocatalase
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Pseudocatalase has recently become a product of interest for patients suffering from vitiligo. Vitiligo affects 3 to 6 million people in the United States today, however, many are unaware of this rarely talked about skin condition(30). Also known as leukoderma, vitiligo is a pigmentation disorder of the skin resulting in the formation of irregular white spots or patches, despite the retention of the skin’s normal texture.(30,31) It is a progressive condition that destroys the melanocytes (the cells that make pigment) in the skin, the mucous membranes (tissues that line the inside of the mouth, nose, genital and rectal areas) and the retina (inner layer of the eyeball).(31) Although its cause is not greatly understood, vitiligo is non-contagious often affecting all races and both sexes equally. It may appear at any age and is believed to be hereditary.
The primary goal when treating vitiligo is to restore the skin’s function to as close to normal as possible and to improve the patient’s appearance and overall quality of life. Today, vitiligo is a treatable condition, though it can take years for patients to see results. The choice of therapy, however, ultimately depends on the degree of white patches and how widespread they are on a patient’s body.(31) With the recent discovery of the role elevated hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels combined with low catalase activity play in the skin of patients afflicted by vitiligo, studies have looked at a new option involving a topical cream consisting of pseudocatalase and calcium. Originally created by Dr. Karin U. Schallreuter and her colleagues, a professor of clinical and experimental dermatology at the University of Bradford in West Yorkshire, England, patients were told to apply the cream twice daily and to expose themselves to the sun or to a short-term narrow-band of ultraviolet B (UVB) phototherapy twice a week.(32)