Insights & Discussion
Acupuncture improves outcome measures in the treatment of dermatitis, chloasma, pruritus, urticaria, hyperhidrosis, and facial elasticity.
Twenty-four studies met inclusion criteria. Among these, 16 were randomized controlled trials, 6 were prospective observational studies, and 2 were case reports. Acupuncture was used to treat atopic dermatitis, urticaria, pruritus, acne, chloasma, neurodermatitis, dermatitis herpetiformis, hyperhidrosis, human papillomavirus wart, breast inflammation, and facial elasticity. In 17 of 24 studies, acupuncture showed statistically significant improvements in outcome measurements compared with placebo acupuncture, alternative treatment options, and no intervention.
Discover Related Insights
Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) improved AD symptoms but had no significant impact on patients' quality of life or IgE levels suggesting CHM's potential as an AD treatment with further research.
2022 Frontiers in Pharmacology Efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal medicine for atopic dermatitis: Evidence from eight high-quality randomized placebo-controlled trials Cai X, Sun X, Liu L, Zhou Y, Hong S, Wang J, et al.
Systematic Review Eczema
CHM showed benefits in improving AD symptoms, such as itching and skin appearance, compared to placebos. However, it didn't significantly affect patients' quality of life or IgE levels. CHM was safe, with only minor side effects. These findings suggest CHM could be a useful treatment for AD, but more standard guidelines are needed due to variations in herbal ingredients and dosages in different studies.
Oral administration of Tremella fuciformis polysaccharides may constitute a new, effective therapy for Atopic dermatitis, improving both immune response and intestinal microbiota.
2022 Frontiers in Pharmacology Tremella fuciformis polysaccharides alleviate induced atopic dermatitis in mice by regulating immune response and gut microbiota Xie L, Yang K, Liang Y, Zhu Z, Yuan Z, Du Z
Experimental Study Eczema Gut Microbiota Polysaccharides
In the methodology of this study, the therapeutic effects of Tremella fuciformis polysaccharides (these have multiple biological activities), on Atopic dermatitis, were examined through both topical application and oral administration on mice induced with Atopic dermatitis-like disorder. The changes across transdermal water loss, epidermal thickening, and ear edema in the affected mice were observed. Notably, the study also considered the polysaccharides' impacts on the proportion of specific regulatory T cells in the mesenteric lymph nodes of the mice.
The results showed that both therapeutic methods positively impacted the conditions of the affected mice, with oral administration offering superior efficacy over topical application. The oral administration of the polysaccharides led to an increase of specific regulatory T cells, evidence of immune regulation. Further, non-targeted metabolomics and sequencing of certain DNA amplicons pointed towards observable modulation in fecal metabolites and a changed composition of gut microbiota in the mice following the oral treatment.
Honey, traditionally a food item, exhibits therapeutic properties—anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and wound healing—showing promise in managing and preventing allergic diseases, as supported by scientific evidence and clinical studies.
2021 Frontiers in Pharmacology The Potential use of Honey as a Remedy for Allergic Diseases: A Mini Review Aw Yong PY, Islam F, Harith HH, Israf DA, Tan JW, Tham CL
Review Article Allergy Eczema Honey
This mini review explores honey's transition from a conventional food to a potential treatment for allergic diseases. Emphasis is placed on its diverse therapeutic properties, particularly its ability to alleviate pathological conditions and regulate inflammatory cell recruitment in cellular and animal models.
Scientific evidence and clinical studies suggest that honey holds potential in relieving allergic symptoms, offering a promising treatment or preventive approach for allergic diseases such as anaphylaxis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis. The review provides valuable insights for considering honey in clinical settings for allergic disease management.
Traditional Chinese Medicine, specifically acupuncture, demonstrates promising effects in managing allergic diseases like allergic rhinitis and asthma.
2020 Current Allergy and Asthma Reports Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Allergic Diseases Chan HHL, Ng T
Review Article Eczema Hay Fever
The methodology for this paper involved an extensive review of recent publications, predominantly those presenting randomized controlled trials, that assess the use of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in treating allergies. The focus was on the two most popular treatment modalities in TCM, Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture. Publications detailing the mechanisms by which TCM impacts allergic diseases, as well as literature in Chinese, were also examined.
The analysis of the results showed an increasing trend of using TCM, specifically Chinese herbal medicine, to manage allergic diseases. However, literature evidence was found lacking to conclusively establish its effectiveness. On the other hand, acupuncture showed more definitive evidence of its utility, especially when treating allergic rhinitis and asthma, either as a standalone intervention or alongside conventional western medication. Its effectiveness in treating atopic eczema and urticaria was less clear, nonetheless, it's recommended to be incorporated into the treatment of specific allergic diseases on a personalized basis.
Acupuncture might be effective at reducing itch intensity and may be more effective than conventional medicine at reducing eczema area and severity index (EASI) and improving the global symptoms of atopic eczema.
2019 Acupuncture in Medicine The effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for patients with atopic eczema: a systematic review and meta-analysis Jiao R, Yang Z, Wang Y, Zhou J, Zeng Y, Liu Z
Systematic Review Eczema Facial Conditions
Acupuncture might be an effective treatment capable of reducing itch intensity, and may be more effective than conventional medicine at reducing EASI and improving global symptoms for patients with AE. Acupuncture is a safe treatment for patients with AE, but the available data are too few to suggest that acupuncture alone is effective at improving quality of life and recurrence rate. More high-quality trials with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm the effects of acupuncture on AE.
Sign In
Users not signed in are limited to viewing the 5 most recent items of content.