Vitamin B₁₂ Cream Containing Avocado Oil in the Therapy of Plaque Psoriasis

Abstract

Background: There are already many effective topical therapies available for use in the treatment of chronic plaque psoriasis. Unfortunately, these treatments are often associated with a rather significant risk of undesirable effects. Objective and Methods: In this randomized, prospective clinical trial, the effects of the vitamin D₃ analog calcipotriol were evaluated against those of a recently developed vitamin B₁₂ cream containing avocado oil in an intraindividual right/left-side comparison. The trial population consisted of 13 patients, 10 men and 3 women, with chronic plaque psoriasis. The observation period was 12 weeks; the effects of therapy were assessed on the basis of a PASI score adapted to the right/left-side comparison technique, the subjective evaluations of the investigator and patients and the results of 20-MHz sonography. Results: There was a more rapid development of beneficial effects with the use of calcipotriol in the initial 8 weeks, although differences in effects were significant only at the time point of therapy week 8 (p < 0.05). After 12 weeks, neither the PASI score nor 20-MHz sonography showed significant differences between the two treatments. While the efficacy of the calcipotriol preparation reached a maximum in the first 4 weeks and then began to subside, the effects of the vitamin B₁₂ cream containing avocado oil remained at a constant level over the whole observation period. This would indicate that the vitamin B₁₂ preparation containing avocado oil may be suitable for use in long-term therapy, a hypothesis further supported by the fact that the investigator and the patients assessed the tolerability of the vitamin B₁₂ cream containing avocado oil as significantly better in comparison with that of calcipotriol. Conclusion: The results of this clinical trial provide evidence that the recently developed vitamin B₁₂ cream containing avocado oil has considerable potential as a well-tolerated, long-term topical therapy of psoriasis.

Ethnopharmacological survey of medicinal plants used by patients with psoriasis in the West Bank of Palestine

“…For example, Stucker et al treated 13 patients with psoriasis topically with a combination of vitamin B12 and avocado oil, after 12 weeks no statistically significant reduction in PASI scores was observed [33]. …”

Nutritive value of daily food rations of patients with psoriasis vulgaris: a preliminary report

“…Constant consumption is necessary for the maintenance of their stable level [35]. The 12-week topical application of vitamin B 12 with avocado oil significantly improved the clinical picture of plaque psoriasis [37].…”

“…In some studies, mostly non-randomized and short-lasting, the beneficial influence of fishoil, low-energy or gluten-free diet, supplementation with selected vitamins (e.g. B 12 , D 3 , A) or micronutrient (zinc, selenium) on the clinical picture and course of psoriasis was shown [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]. The vegetarian and low-energy diet, with the restriction of animal fatty acids, may be beneficial because of a low intake of the arachidonic acida source of pro-inflammatory leukotriene B 4 (LTB 4 ) [7,14].…”

General measures and quality of life issues in psoriasis

“…Although calcipotriol produced rapid improvement, there was no significant difference between both therapies at 12 weeks of treatment and better tolerated. [31] In the Indian set up, dietary supplementation with iron, vitamin B12, and antioxidants might be useful in patients with psoriasis.…”