Melanin is responsible to impart color to the skin as well as to provide
protection from harmful UV radiation. But it’s excess production and distribution leads
to hyperpigmentation and its related disorders. Several treatment strategies have been
used to treat the problem of hyperpigmentation, including chemical peeling,
dermabrasion, laser, topical treatment, etc. But skin burn, dyspigmentation, acne,
swelling, pain etc. are some of the after effects found associated with these treatment
options. To keep in view of the side effects of current treatment modalities and in order
to get rid of the problem of hyperpigmentation, scientists were focussed on traditional
system of treatment in which the skin treatment was done by natural products, which
are without toxicological implications. Hence, various medicinal plants and their
constituents having few or no risk of side effects have been tested for their efficacies to
treat disorders of hyperpigmentation. In the present chapter, we have discussed some of
those plants and their active ingredients which have been successfully used for the
treatment of hyperpigmentation.
Keywords: Hyperpigmentation, Medicinal plants, Melanin, Natural products,
Side effects.
