The Therapeutic Effect of Evening Primrose Oil in Atopic Dermatitis Patients with Dry Scaly Skin Lesions Is Associated with the Normalization of Serum Gamma-Interferon Levels

Abstract

To see if evening primrose oil (EPO) could be more effective in a certain type of atopic dermatitis, we administered EPO to 14 atopic dermatitis patients characterized by itchy dry scaly skin. Furthermore, we measured serum levels of γ-interferon (IFN-γ) and IgE in addition to the clinical severity before and after the treatment to find out whether the treatment effect of EPO is related with an immunological mechanism. After the treatment, the extent of the skin lesions and the pruritus were markedly reduced in all patients. While serum IFN-γ levels were significantly increased (p < 0.01) after the treatment up to those of the normal control group, serum IgE levels showed a significant decrease (p < 0.05), failing to normalize completely. We concluded that EPO could be highly effective in the treatment of a grossly noninflammatory type of atopic dermatitis. The restoration of serum IFN-γ levels indicates that EPO might exert its effect through the modulation of the immunological mechanism involving IFN-γ.

A Meta-Analysis of Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trials of Efamol&#174; Evening Primrose Oil in Atopic Eczema. Where Do We Go from Here in Light of More Recent Discoveries?

“…Results of these studies are consistent with results of a 2002 intervention study where EPO was more effective in a sub-category of patients with itchy, dry, scaly dermatitis than in patients with other less severe symptom characteristics [51]. These severely effected patients also had significantly higher than normal IgE levels which approached normal following treatment with EPO.…”

EFA supplementation in children with inattention, hyperactivity, and other disruptive behaviors

“…Similar types of thirst/skin symptoms have been reported to occur in patients suffering from a variety of different conditions . Although improvements have been noted in the frequency of symptoms with PUFA supplementation (14,(22)(23)(24)38,39), it is unclear whether perturbations in PUFA metabolism are the root cause of thirst/skin symptoms. As reported here, supplementation with either oil led to a decrease in the frequency of these symptoms, but no treatment effect was observed.…”

“…Although abnormal FA metabolism has been reported in all of these disorders, none of the EFA profiles, including anorexia nervosa (37), reveals a primary EFA deficiency, which is characterized by low proportions of n-6 and n-3 PUFA and increased 20:3n-9 in the blood phospholipids. Patients have shown improvements in their thirst/skin symptoms upon supplementation with n-6 and/or n-3 PUFA (14,(22)(23)(24)38,39).…”

Dose-Dependent Effects of Evening Primrose Oil in Children and Adolescents with Atopic Dermatitis

“…Kerscher and Korting16 have also documented that pediatric AD patients treated with GLA showed lower levels of inflammation, dryness, scaling and overall severity compared to controls. Some other studies have also confirmed the beneficial role of EPO in adult AD17,18. Andreassi et al17 reported that adult patients receiving GLA show gradual improvement in pruritus, erythema, vesiculation and oozing.…”