Polypodium Leucotomos: Sunburn and Skin Trials | Dose Track
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Polypodium Leucotomos Extract (PLE): half-life, strengths and approval status

Amounts studied · Approval status · Half-life notes

What is polypodium leucotomos?

Polypodium leucotomos extract (PLE) comes from a fern, often listed under the name Phlebodium aureum. It is taken by mouth and has been studied for sun sensitivity and skin conditions.

Also known as: Phlebodium aureum, PLE, calaguala, fern extract, golden polypody.

Amounts studied

A vitiligo trial used 250 mg three times a day for about 6 months alongside light therapy (Middelkamp-Hup 2007). These are study protocols, not a recommendation.

Approval status and how it is used

The NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database lists Polypodium leucotomos extract products such as one from Herbadiet as a dietary supplement. Under the 1994 dietary supplement law (DSHEA), FDA does not approve dietary supplements before they are marketed, and the maker, not FDA, is responsible for safety and labeling.

What studies show: in 21 volunteers, oral PLE raised the amount of UV light needed to cause sunburn about 2.8-fold (González 1997). This was a small lab study, not a test of everyday sun protection. In a trial in 50 people with vitiligo who also had light therapy, repigmentation of the head and neck was 44% with PLE versus 27% with placebo, a difference that was not statistically significant overall (Middelkamp-Hup 2007). In 105 children and teens with eczema, 6 months of PLE did not reduce steroid cream use but did reduce days on antihistamine pills (Ramírez-Bosca 2012). A 2025 review counted 11 randomized trials across skin conditions, most of them small (Zundell 2025).

Safety: the 2025 review described the safety record as encouraging (Zundell 2025). The sources here do not describe drug interactions.

Polypodium leucotomos half-life and time to peak

  • Half-lifeNot listed
  • Time to peak (Tmax)Not listed

We could not find a single published half-life or time to peak for Polypodium leucotomos extract that applies to a supplement dose, so we do not list one. Plant extracts are mixtures of many compounds, so no single figure would describe them.

How to track polypodium leucotomos in Dose Track

  1. Add polypodium leucotomos as a custom compound. Start typing its name and Dose Track fills in the details from its research library for you to check, and it sits next to everything else you take.
  2. Log each dose when you take it so your history shows exactly what you took and when.
  3. Set reminders on your own schedule, whether that is daily, weekly or every few days.
  4. Your log is stored on your phone and no account is needed. Data only leaves it for features you choose, like AI answers and lab reading.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the half-life of polypodium leucotomos?+
We could not find a single published half-life or time to peak for Polypodium leucotomos extract that applies to a supplement dose, so we do not list one. Plant extracts are mixtures of many compounds, so no single figure would describe them.
Can Polypodium leucotomos replace sunscreen?+
No study here tested it as a replacement. In one small study it raised the UV dose needed to cause redness about 2.8-fold, which is far less protection than sunscreen and was measured under lab conditions.
Can I track polypodium leucotomos in Dose Track?+
Yes. Polypodium leucotomos is in Dose Track's research library, so when you add it as a custom compound its details are filled in for you to check. You can then log each dose next to your other compounds, set reminders on your own schedule, and see your history next to your lab results. Your log is stored on your phone and no account is needed. Data only leaves it for features you choose, like AI answers and lab reading.

Sources

  1. González S, et al. Topical or oral administration with an extract of Polypodium leucotomos prevents acute sunburn and psoralen-induced phototoxic reactions as well as depletion of Langerhans cells in human skin. Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed. 1997;13(1-2):50-60.
  2. Middelkamp-Hup MA, et al. Treatment of vitiligo vulgaris with narrow-band UVB and oral Polypodium leucotomos extract: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2007;21(7):942-950.
  3. Ramírez-Bosca A, et al. Polypodium leucotomos extract in atopic dermatitis: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial. Actas Dermosifiliogr. 2012;103(7):599-607.
  4. Zundell MP, et al. The utility of oral Polypodium leucotomos extract for dermatologic diseases: a systematic review. J Drugs Dermatol. 2025;24(4):346-351.
  5. NIH ODS Dietary Supplement Label Database. Polypodium Leucotomos/Calaguala Extract (Herbadiet), dietary supplement label, entered February 25, 2021; checked October 28, 2026.
  6. FDA. Questions and answers on dietary supplements.

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