Skincare Range

PABA (Para-aminobenzoic acid)

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Clinical Studies
References

PABA is necessary for healthy skin, intestinal health and hair pigmentation. PABA stimulates the intestinal bacteria enabling them to produce folic acid and functions in the breakdown and utilisation of proteins and in the formation of red blood cells. It may be beneficial in female infertility, arthritis, anemia, constipation, lupus erythematosus, headaches, dermatitis herpetiformis, dermatomyositis, infertility (female), Peyronie's disease, scleroderma, hair loss, greying and vitiligo.

 

 

Published Clinical Studiesclin

Retrospective studies in scleroderma: skin response to potassium para-aminobenzoate therapy.1

Zarafonetis CJ, Dabich L, Skovronski JJ, DeVol EB, Negri D, Yuan W, Wolfe R.

 

Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor.

Analyses were made of University of Michigan Hospital records of 467 patients diagnosed during the period 1948 - July 1980 as having scleroderma (390) or scleroderma associated with manifestations of other collagen disease (77). In all, there were coded 4733 visits or admissions. Demographic characteristics are detailed for the 390 patients with clinical features of scleroderma alone. The principal focus of this report is on degree and extent of skin involvement and response to therapy with potassium para-aminobenzoate (Potaba, KPAB). Ninety percent of 224 patients treated with KPAB experienced mild, moderate, or marked skin softening. Among a parallel group of 96 evaluable patients who did not receive KPAB, less than 20% were noted to have mild or moderate skin improvement at the end of follow-up. The difference in skin softening attained by patients treated with KPAB compared to that of patients who did not receive this medication was significant (p less than 0.0001).

PMID: 3180546 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Potassium para-aminobenzoate for the treatment of Peyronie's disease: is it effective?2

Carson CC.

 

Division of Urology, University of North Carolina, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill 27599-7235, USA.

The medical treatment of Peyronie's disease remains controversial. Oral and injectable medications have been used with little documented disease specific effectiveness. Potassium para-aminobenzoate (POTABA) has long been suggested as a treatment for the plaque, curvature, and pain produced by chronic Peyronie's disease. We report a retrospective review of 32 patients treated for at least 3 months with 12 g of POTABA powder daily and followed for 8 to 24 months. Symptom resolution demonstrated improvement in penile discomfort in 8 of 18 patients, decreased plaque size in 18 of 32 patients, and improvement in penile angulation in 18 of 31 patients. Complete resolution of angulation was reported in 8 of 31 patients. While this review was retrospective and uncontrolled, it does suggest a place for POTABA in the treatment of Peyronie's disease. In order to confirm these findings and to control for the natural history of spontaneous resolution of Peyronie's disease symptomatology, a prospective, double-blind, multicenter, well-controlled study with objective criteria should be established.

PMID: 9422444 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Referencesref

  1. Zarafonetis CJ. Darkening of gray hair during para-amino-benzoic acid therapy. J Invest Dermatol 1950;399-401.
  2. Carson CC. Potassium para-aminobenzoate for the treatment of Peyronie's disease: is it effective? Tech Urol 1997;3:135-9.
  3. Kantor GR, Ratz JL. Liver toxicity from potassium para-aminobenzoate. J Am Acad Dermatol 1985;13:671-2.
  4. United States Pharmacopeial Convention, Inc., ed. Drug Information for the Health Care Professional. 19th ed. Englewood, CO: Micromedex Inc., 1999.
  5. Gennaro A. Remington: The Science and Practice of Pharmacy. 19th ed. Lippincott: Williams & Wilkins, 1996.
  6. Facts and Comparisons staff. Drug Facts and Comparisons. St Louis: Wolters Kluwar Company (updated monthly).
  7. Covington TR, et al. Handbook of Nonprescription Drugs. Washington, DC: Am Pharmaceutical Assn, 1996.
  8. Worobec S, LaChine A. Dangers of orally administered para-aminobenzoic acid. JAMA 1984;251:2348.
  9. Wiesel LL, Barritt AS, Stumpe WM. The synergistic action of para-aminobenzoic acid and cortisone in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Am J Med Sci 1951;243-8.
  10. Pathak MA. Sunscreens: Topical and systemic approaches for protection of human skin against harmful effects of solar radiation. J Am Acad Dermatol 1982;7:285-312.
  11. Zarafonetis CJ, Dabich L, Skovronski JJ, et al. Retrospective studies in scleroderma: skin response to potassium para-aminobenzoate therapy. Clin Exp Rheumatol 1988;6:261-8.
  12. Sieve BF. The clinical effects of a new B Complex Factor, para-aminobenzoic acid, on pigmentation and fertility. Southern Medicine & Surgery 1942;135-9.
  13. Zarafonetis CJ, Dabich L, DeVol EB, et al. Potassium para-aminobenzoate and liver function test findings. J Am Acad Dermatol 1986;15:144-9.
  14. Hughes CG. Oral PABA and vitiligo. J Am Acad Dermatol 1983;9:770.
  15. Ludwig G. Evaluation of conservative therapeutic approaches to Peyronie's disease (fibrotic induration of the penis). Urol Int 1991;47:236-9.
  16. Zarafonetis CJ, Dabich L, Devol EB, et al. Retrospective studies in scleroderma: pulmonary findings and effect of potassium p-aminobenzoate on vital capacity. Respiration 1989;56:22-33.
  17. Clegg DO, Reading JC, Mayes MD, et al. Comparison of aminobenzoate potassium and placebo in the treatment of scleroderma. J Rheumatol 1994;21:105-10.
  18. Zarafonetis CJ, Dabich L, Negri D, et al. Retrospective studies in scleroderma: effect of potassium para-aminobenzoate on survival. J Clin Epidemiol 1988;41:193-205.
  19. Zarafonetis CJ, Horrax TM. Treatment of peyronie's disease with para-aminobenzoacidic potassium (POTOBA). J Urol 1959;81:770-2.