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

Abstract

Efamol EPO has a simultaneous, beneficial effect on itch/pruritus, crusting, oedema and redness (erythema) that becomes apparent between 4 and 8 weeks after treatment is initiated. However, the magnitude of this effect is reduced in association with increasing frequency of potent steroid use.

Gamma-Linolenic acid levels correlate with clinical efficacy of evening primrose oil in patients with atopic dermatitis

“…This is in line with previous studies, revealing the clinical effect of EPO after 4-8 weeks of treatment [10]. The present study showed further improvement of AD symptoms upon 12 weeks, supporting the idea that EPO should be applied as long-term basic therapy.…”

“…The clinical efficacy of EPO supplementation in AD has been shown in numerous studies [10][11][12]. Nevertheless, the use of EPO has been judged controversially [10,13,14] …”

Dual Stimulus-Dependent Effect ofOenothera paradoxaExtract on the Respiratory Burst in Human Leukocytes: Suppressing forEscherichia coliand Phorbol Myristate Acetate and Stimulating for Formyl-Methionyl-Leucyl-Phenylalanine

“…Out of them, a broad and heterogeneous group of plant polyphenols, widely available in fruit, vegetables, roots, leaves and seeds, are increasingly of interest in the field of nutrition and health due to their antioxidative, vasodilatory, anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and cardioprotective properties [4–6]. In this regard, the seeds of O. biennis and O. paradoxa are an important source of edible oil containing a high concentration of gamma-linolenic acid, the precursor of prostaglandin E1 and its derivatives that have been reported to affect several inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, eczema, inflammatory bowel disease, and multiple sclerosis, [7, 8]. Since Oenothera ( O. biennis and O. paradoxa ) defatted seeds, being a waste product of the cold-pressing production of oil, are considered as polyphenol-rich sources, a number of studies on proapoptic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative capabilities of their extracts have been performed in various cellular models [9–13].…”

Die Rolle von Nachtkerzensamenöl bei chronisch-entzündlichen Prozessen begleitet von einem Gamma-Linolensäure-Mangel

“…In der Schweiz ist derzeit nur ein Nachtkerzensamen öl (epogam ® 1000 vegicaps soft ® ; Zeller Medical AG, Romanshorn, Schweiz) kassenzulässig in der Grund versicherung [9]. Die gute Wirksam keit von Nachtkerzensamenöl konnte bei atopischer Dermatitis, aber auch bei anderen pathologischen Erschei nungen wie PMS in klinischen Studi en belegt werden [10][11][12][13]. Besonders bei der atopischen Dermatitis hat sich ergänzend zur topischen Basisthera pie die systemische Langzeitverab reichung von Nachtkerzensamenöl bewährt (Abb.…”

“…Klinische Studien belegen, dass mit der peroralen Verab reichung von Nachtkerzensamenöl der transdermale Wasserverlust [14] sowie die Entzündungsneigung der Haut gesenkt und eine signifikante Linderung der klinischen Symptome wie Juckreiz (Abb. 3), raue Haut, Ödem und Erythembildung erreicht wird [11]. In der Folge nehmen Inten sität und Frequenz der Ekzeminter valle ab, weshalb der Verbrauch an AkutphasenTherapeutika wie topi schen Glukokortikoiden längerfristig reduziert werden kann (Abb.…”