DermoVitek, a phytoceutical compound (Piperine in combination with Tashinone) developed by Cumberland Biotherapeutics, it is an over the county (OTC) product indicated as an effective treatment for vitiligo/ Leukoderma. Currently, there is no cure for vitiligo
Vitiligo is a skin disorder that causes the skin to lose its natural pigmentation. It can develop at any age and there is no difference in prevalence according to sex, skin type or race. Current treatment options include immunosuppression, UV radiation-based therapies and surgical grafting of melanocytes. However, response to treatment is highly variable, and re- pigmentation is usually incomplete. There is an undisputed need for new therapeutic options for managing vitiligo.
This disease affects an estimated 1% of the world's population. It affects individuals of all ethnic origins and both sexes but is much more easily noticed on darker skin as areas that fail to tan. It is hereditary in one third of those affected. Vitiligo often starts on the hands, feet or face, and frequently pigment loss is progressive. Half the patients first notice vitiligo before 20 years of age. It often appears in an area of minor injury or sunburn.
It is believed that vitiligo is an autoimmune disorder (autoimmune means the body's own immune system turns on itself). Certain white blood cells direct the destruction of melanocytes. People with vitiligo are also somewhat more prone to other autoimmune diseases, such as alopecia areata, autoimmune thyroid disorders, Addison's disease, pernicious anemia, and diabetes mellitus.
The average prevalence of vitiligo is between 0.5% to 2% of the world population, but local numbers may vary from 0.004% to 9.98%, depending on the region and age group. The total number of people suffering from vitiligo is estimated at around 65-95 million people worldwide. However, the actual number may be much higher because vitiligo is an underreported disease.
References: Ortonne et al., 1983; Taieb and Picardo, 2009; Whitton et al., 2006; Lin et al., 1999; Venkatasamy et al., 2004.