Efficacy of Pistacia atlantica extract in the treatment of acne

The use of medicinal herbs for the treatment of skin disease, such as acne, has a long history. The extract of Pistaca atlantica is used to treat various diseases. This study was designed to evaluate the short-term efficacy and safety of Pistaca atlantica extract for the treatment of mild to moderate acne.
This clinical trial was performed on 60 patients with mild to moderate acne, who where randomly divided into two groups. After obtaining informed consent, volunteers in the case group received a topical extract of 15% Pistaca Atlantica once daily for 6 weeks. In the control group, placebo was given in the same way. Patients were evaluated for the number of lesions at the beginning, and 3 and 6 weeks after treatment.
At the end of study, the mean reduction in lesions was 59.93% in the Pistaca atlantica group and -11.46% in the control group. Also Skin softness and lucidity were observed in the Pistaca atlantica group.
This clinical study showed that topical treatment with Pistaca atlantica extract can be recommended to improve mild to moderate acne. However, a longer study with larger sample size is needed to achieve a comprehensive evaluation of the efficacy and safety of this plant.