The Utility of Oral Polypodium Leucotomos Extract for Dermatologic Diseases: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Background: Polypodium leucotomos extract (PLE), a fern plant product with strong anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties, has been employed to reduce photoaging and skin cancer. PLE may also serve as an adjuvant treatment for psoriasis, vitiligo, atopic dermatitis, photodermatoses, and melasma. This systematic review synthesizes the current data on PLE usage to manage dermatological diseases.

Methods: This systematic review followed the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Methods Guide for Effectiveness and Comparative Effectiveness Reviews and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRIMSA) guidelines. PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library were queried using keywords. Articles were screened for inclusion and subsequently grouped by dermatological condition.

Results: Twenty-one of the 152 identified articles met inclusion criteria, including 11 randomized controlled trials and 5 treatment trials. Implicated dermatological conditions were: photoaging/ skin cancer (9), actinic keratosis (3), photodermatoses (3), melasma (2), vitiligo (3), and atopic dermatitis (1). A thorough article review revealed several potential applications of PLE.

Conclusion: PLE exhibits strong therapeutic potential with an encouraging safety profile. It has photoprotective and immunomodulatory properties, underscoring its potential as an adjuvant therapy for multiple dermatological conditions.

View full publication – 2025 Journal of Drugs in Dermatology – Zundell

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