Beta Carotene
| Evidence Level: L5 | Predicted Indications: 10 |
Table of Contents
- Beta Carotene
- Pharmacist Assessment Report
- Beta carotene: provitamin A carotenoid antioxidant → acne (disease)
- One-Sentence Summary
- Quick Overview
- Why is This Prediction Reasonable?
- Clinical Trial Evidence
- Literature Evidence
- India Market Information
- Safety Considerations
- Conclusion and Next Steps
- Review Log
- Disclaimer
Beta carotene: provitamin A carotenoid antioxidant → acne (disease)
One-Sentence Summary
Beta carotene is a provitamin A carotenoid with antioxidant activity, currently marketed in India as oral soft-gel capsules. The TxGNN model predicts it may be effective for acne (disease), but the data compiled for this report contain no clinical trials and 7 publications, mostly associative or about oxidative status, none showing that beta carotene treats acne. This is a model-only hypothesis with very little direct support.
Quick Overview
| Item | Content |
|---|---|
| Original Indication | Not recorded in the local data |
| Predicted New Indication | acne (disease) |
| TxGNN Prediction Score | 0.9999 |
| Evidence Level | L5 |
| India Market Status | Listed in a compiled Indian medicine price dataset (2 of 2) – CDSCO approval status is not included in this data |
| Number of Listed Products | 2 (valid: 2) |
| Recommended Decision | Hold |
Why is This Prediction Reasonable?
Detailed mechanism of action data is not currently available. Beta carotene is known as a provitamin A carotenoid with antioxidant properties, and this is the basis for the proposed link.
Studies report oxidative stress and altered antioxidant status in acne vulgaris. One small study of patients with anorexia nervosa noted raised beta carotene levels, with acne in a small subset. Another study looked at oxidative toxicity during isotretinoin treatment. Older work compared serum vitamin A and beta carotene levels in people with skin disease.
These findings are associations or measurements of antioxidant status. None tests beta carotene as an acne treatment. Several retrieved papers concern plant essential oils or general vitamin reviews and are not relevant. Because no cited study directly examines beta carotene as a therapy for acne, the evidence level is L5.
Clinical Trial Evidence
Currently no related clinical trials registered.
Literature Evidence
| PMID | Year | Type | Journal | Key Findings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20049267 | 2009 | Cross-sectional | Indian Journal of Dermatology | Oxidant/antioxidant status in obese adolescent females with acne vulgaris |
| 22517509 | 2012 | Clinical observational | Cell Biochemistry and Function | Isotretinoin treatment altered antioxidant vitamins and induced oxidative toxicity in blood of acne patients (pilot study) |
| 2073211 | 1990 | Review | Australasian Journal of Dermatology | Skin findings in 14 anorexia nervosa patients, including elevated beta carotene levels and acne in a small subset |
| 4230169 | 1967 | Observational | Dermatologische Wochenschrift | Serum vitamin A and beta carotene levels in people with and without skin disease |
| 7618499 | 1995 | Review | J Am Board Fam Pract | General review of vitamins as therapy; not specific to acne |
| 39459015 | 2024 | In vitro | Pharmaceuticals (Basel) | Ylang-ylang essential oil properties for dermatology; limited relevance |
| 23625436 | 2013 | In vitro | Pak J Pharm Sci | Helichrysum extract activities; limited relevance |
India Market Information
| Authorization Number | Product Name | Dosage Form | Approved Indication |
|---|---|---|---|
| 197872 | Resumer Pro Softgel Capsule | Bottle of 60 soft gelatin capsules | Not recorded |
| 98656 | Glowishma Softgel Capsule | Strip of 10 soft gelatin capsules | Not recorded |
Both licences are valid products (oral).
Review correction (2026-11-06): Originally stated: “Both licences are valid single-ingredient products (oral).” Removed: it described the products as single-ingredient or combination products in a way that did not match the Indian medicine data (the Indian Medicine Dataset as of 2026-11-06). Source: Indian Medicine Dataset.
Safety Considerations
- Drug Interactions: Verteporfin (moderate); lutein (minor).
Package insert warnings and contraindications were not available in the data compiled for this report. Please refer to the package insert for safety information.
Conclusion and Next Steps
Decision: Hold
Rationale: The prediction rests on the model score and indirect findings about oxidative status. No trial or publication shows that beta carotene improves acne.
To proceed, the following is needed:
- Controlled human studies of beta carotene in acne
- Mechanism of action data
- Package insert warnings and contraindications for the marketed products
Review Log
Below is the review log for this page: statements checked against official Indian medicine data (the Indian Medicine Dataset used by this site). Corrections are limited to basic factual statements; model predictions, evidence levels, and conclusions were not rewritten.
| Review date | Item | Action | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-11-06 | Removed: “single-ingredient” | Corrected | Indian Medicine Dataset |
Disclaimer
This content is for research purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Clinical validation is required before any clinical application.