Article: CLINICAL EVALUATION OF THE SKIN BRIGHTENING EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF KUMKUMADI THAILAM: AN EIGHT-WEEK OPEN-LABEL PILOT STUDY

Article Category: Original Research articles

DOI: 10.7897/2277-4343.16249

Pages: 84-89

Author: Maneesha KS, Sreedevi AP, Anu Joy, Reeshma CR, Sibi Narayanan *, Adithya Peethambara Panicker

Abstract: Kumkumadi Thailam, a classical Ayurvedic formulation, is traditionally used to enhance skin brightness and address uneven skin tone and pigmentation. Despite its historical use, scientific evidence supporting its efficacy and safety remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate the skin brightening efficacy and safety of Kumkumadi Thailam in healthy adults over an 8-week period. An open-label, single-arm pilot clinical study was conducted with 30 healthy volunteers aged 20–60 years at Sitaram Ayurveda Specialty Hospital, Thrissur, India. Participants applied Kumkumadi Thailam topically once daily for 8 weeks. Skin brightness was assessed using a visual grading scale (0–4), and safety was evaluated via a skin irritation scale (0–4). Assessments were conducted at baseline, week 4, and week 8. At week 8, 56.67% of participants exhibited very significant improvement in skin brightness, and 26.67% showed significant improvement. No irritation was reported in 93.33% of participants, with only 6.67% experiencing mild irritation. No severe adverse reactions were observed. Kumkumadi Thailam demonstrated significant efficacy in improving skin brightness with a favorable safety profile, supporting its potential as a natural alternative to synthetic skin-brightening agents. Further randomized controlled trials are warranted to confirm these findings.

Keyword: Kumkumadi Thailam, Skin Brightening, Hyperpigmentation, Ayurvedic Formulation, Skin Irritation, Clinical Study.