Real-World Efficacy and Safety of a Topical Salvia fruticosa Leaf Extract Rich in Carnosic Acid and Carnosol for Mild to Very Severe Facial Seborrheic Dermatitis: A 12-Year Retrospective Study.

Authors

Panagiotis Kallimanis, Serafim Prodromidis

Published in

Cureus. Volume 18. Issue 7. Pages e113656. Epub Jul 30, 2026.

Abstract

Objective We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a cream (SDπ) containing S. fruticosa leaf extract rich in carnosic acid and carnosol in the treatment of facial seborrheic dermatitis (SD). Methods In this 12-year retrospective study, 10 patients (eight males, two females; age range, 40-78 years) with mild to very severe facial seborrheic dermatitis (mean baseline Seborrheic Dermatitis Area and Severity Index (SEDASI) score: 19; range, 10-60) applied SDπ cream once nightly as monotherapy. Follow-up ranged from 6 months to 5 years. Results All patients achieved complete disease clearance (SEDASI=0) within a mean of 7.7 days (range 3-15 days) with marked reduction in erythema, scaling, and rapid relief of pruritus. Remission persisted from 20 days to 10 months. Subsequent episodes responded to re-treatment in a shorter period (mean 4.8 days), while no relapses were observed during long-term maintenance therapy with nightly or alternate-night application. No local or systemic safety concerns were documented throughout treatment and the longitudinal follow-up period. Conclusions In this retrospective observational study, SDπ cream was associated with favorable clinical outcomes and good tolerability, suggesting that it may represent a promising natural topical monotherapy for facial seborrheic dermatitis. Although these findings are encouraging, prospective randomized controlled studies are required to confirm efficacy and long-term safety. To our knowledge, this work represents the first full-length retrospective report in the literature documenting the therapeutic role of S. fruticosa leaf extract rich in carnosic acid and carnosol in seborrheic dermatitis.

PMID:
42668826
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 30 Aug 2026.

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