Eczema

Topical applications of chamomile have been shown to be moderately effective in the treatment of eczema.^1,2 One trial found it to be about 60% as effective as 0.25% hydrocortisone cream.³

Researchers have reported that people with eczema do not have the normal ability to process fatty acids, which can result in a deficiency of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA).⁴ GLA is found in evening primrose oil (EPO), borage oil, and black currant seed oil. Some,^5,6,7 but not all,^8,9,10,11 double-blind trials have shown that EPO is useful in the treatment of eczema. An analysis of nine trials reported that the effects for reduced itching were most striking.¹² Much of the research uses 12 pills per day; each pill contains 500 mg of EPO, of which 45 mg is GLA. Smaller amounts have been shown to lack efficacy.¹³

Ten grams of fish oil providing 1.8 grams of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) per day were given to a group of eczema sufferers in a double-blind trial. After 12 weeks, those using the fish oil experienced significant improvement.^14,15 According to the researchers, fish oil may be effective because it reduces levels of leukotriene B4, a substance that has been linked to eczema.¹⁶ The eczema-relieving effects of fish oil may require taking ten pills per day for at least 12 weeks. Smaller amounts of fish oil have been shown to lack efficacy.¹⁷

One trial using vegetable oil as the placebo reported that fish oil was barely more effective than the placebo (30% vs. 24% improvement).¹⁸ As vegetable oil had previously been reported to have potential therapeutic activity, the apparent negative outcome of this trial should not dissuade people with eczema from considering fish oil.

In a double-blind trial, the addition of a mixture of 90% galacto-oligosaccharides and 10% fructo-oligosaccharides to infant formula prevented the development of eczema in infants who were at high risk of developing eczema. The incidence of eczema in the first six months of life was 9.8% in the group receiving oligosaccharides, compared with 23.1% in the placebo group, a statistically significant difference. The product used in this study was designed to mimic the oligosaccharide content of human milk, and was added at a concentration of 0.8 grams per 100 ml.¹⁹

A double-blind trial reported that use of a hypoallergenic infant formula plus probiotics (500 million organisms of Lactobacillus GG bacteria per gram of formula, taken for one month) initially led to improvement in eczema symptoms in infants with suspected allergy to cow's milk.²⁰ However, by the end of two months, both the group receiving Lactobacillus GG and the placebo group had improved approximately the same amount. In the same report, a preliminary trial giving 20 billion lactobacilli twice per day to breast-feeding mothers led to significant improvement of their allergic infants’ eczema after one month. However, another double-blind trial found that Lactobacillus GG was no more effective than a placebo in infants with mild to moderate eczema.²¹ In another double-blind trial, a different probiotic preparation (1 billion organisms of Lactobacillus fermentum VRI-033 PCC taken twice a day) reduced the severity of eczema in a group of young children with moderate or severe eczema.²²Probiotics may reduce allergic reactions by improving digestion, by helping the intestinal tract control the absorption of food allergens, and/or by changing immune system responses.

Caution: It is likely that there are many drug interactions with St. John's wort that have not yet been identified. St. John's wort stimulates a drug-metabolizing enzyme (cytochrome P450 3A4) that metabolizes at least 50% of the drugs on the market.²³ Therefore, it could potentially cause a number of drug interactions that have not yet been reported. People taking any medication should consult with a doctor or pharmacist before taking St. John's wort.

A cream prepared with witch hazel and phosphatidylcholine has been reported to be as effective as 1% hydrocortisone in the topical management of eczema, according to one double-blind trial.²⁸

Zemaphyte, a traditional Chinese herbal preparation that includes licorice as well as nine other herbs, has been successful in treating childhood and adult eczema in double-blind trials.^29,30,31 One or two packets of the combination is mixed in hot water and taken once per day. Because one study included the same amount of licorice in both the placebo and the active medicine, it is unlikely that licorice is the main active component of Zemaphyte.³²

Several Chinese herbal creams for eczema have been found to be adulterated with steroids. The authors of one study found that 8 of 11 Chinese herbal creams purchased without prescription in England contained a powerful steroid drug used to treat inflammatory skin conditions.³³

Topical preparations containing calendula, chickweed, or oak bark³⁶have been used traditionally to treat people with eczema but none of these has been studied in scientific research focusing on people with eczema.

Radiation therapy for breast cancer frequently causes painful dermatitis at the radiation site. In a study of women undergoing radiation therapy for breast cancer, those who topically applied Calendula officinalis had significantly fewer cases of severe dermatitis, compared with those who used a standard medication.³⁷ Calendula treatment was begun after the first radiation session and was applied twice a day or more, depending on whether dermatitis or pain occurred.

Topical preparations containing calendula, chickweed, or oak bark³⁸have been used traditionally to treat people with eczema but none of these has been studied in scientific research focusing on people with eczema.

Zemaphyte, a traditional Chinese herbal preparation that includes licorice as well as nine other herbs, has been successful in treating childhood and adult eczema in double-blind trials.^39,40,41 One or two packets of the combination is mixed in hot water and taken once per day. Because one study included the same amount of licorice in both the placebo and the active medicine, it is unlikely that licorice is the main active component of Zemaphyte.⁴²

Several Chinese herbal creams for eczema have been found to be adulterated with steroids. The authors of one study found that 8 of 11 Chinese herbal creams purchased without prescription in England contained a powerful steroid drug used to treat inflammatory skin conditions.⁴³

Topical preparations containing calendula, chickweed, or oak bark⁴⁴have been used traditionally to treat people with eczema but none of these has been studied in scientific research focusing on people with eczema.

Onion injections into the skin and topical onion applications have been shown to inhibit skin inflammation in people with eczema, according to one double-blind trial.⁴⁵ The quantity or form of onion that might be most effective is unknown.

Burdock, sarsaparilla, red clover, and wild oats have been used historically to treat people with eczema, but without scientific investigation.

Burdock, sarsaparilla, red clover, and wild oats have been used historically to treat people with eczema, but without scientific investigation.

Though it has not been studied, theoretically shelled hemp seed or its oil may be useful for people with eczema due to its content of essential fatty acids.⁵¹

A Japanese topical ointment called Shiunko has been reported to help improve symptoms of eczema, according to preliminary research.⁵² The ointment contains sesame oil and four herbs (Lithospermum radix, Angelica radix, Cera alba and Adeps suillus) and was applied twice daily along with petrolatum and 3.5% salt water for three weeks. Clinical improvement was seen in four of the seven people using Shiunko.

In 1989, Medical World News reported that researchers from the University of Texas found that vitamin C, at 50–75 mg per 2.2 pounds of body weight, reduced symptoms of eczema in a double-blind trial.⁵³ In theory, vitamin C might be beneficial in treating eczema by affecting the immune system, but further research has yet to investigate any role for this vitamin in people with eczema.