Chinese Herbs for Dermatitis

There has been considerable interest in traditional Chinese herbal medicine as a treatment for atopic dermatitis. A twice-daily concoction of an ancestral formula containing five herbs has been found to be beneficial in an open study.

Objectives: To assess the efficacy and tolerability of the Chinese herbal formula in children with atopic dermatitis.

Methods: Following a 2-week run-in period, children with long-standing moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis were randomized to receive a 12-week treatment with twice-daily dosing of three capsules of either traditional Chinese herbal formula or a placebo. The SCORing of Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) score, Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI), allergic rhinitis score, and requirement for topical corticosteroid and oral antihistamine were assessed before and at weeks 4, 8, 12 and 16 after treatment. Adverse events, tolerability, haematological and biochemical parameters were monitored during the study.

Results: Eighty-five children with atopic dermatitis were recruited. Over 12 weeks, the mean SCORAD score fell from 58.3 to 49.7 in the traditional Chinese herbal medicine group (n = 42; P = 0.003) and from 56.9 to 46.9 in the placebo group (n = 43; P = 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in the scores at the corresponding time points between the two groups. The CDLQI in traditional Chinese herbal medicine treated patients was significantly improved compared with patients receiving placebo at the end of the 3-month treatment and 4 weeks after stopping therapy (P = 0.008 and 0.059, respectively). The total amount of topical corticosteroid used was also significantly reduced by one-third in the traditional Chinese herbal medicine group (P = 0.024). No serious adverse effects were observed between the groups.

Conclusions: Traditional Chinese herbal medicine is efficacious in improving quality of life and reducing topical corticosteroid use in children with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis. The Chinese herbs for skin health was palatable and well tolerated.

Department of Paediatrics, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.

PMID: 17501956 Br J Dermatol. 2007 May 14