Dermatology

Borage Oil for Infantile Seborrheic Dermatitis: Non-blinded study 37 infants treated topically with borage oil reported recovery in 4 weeks. Karolinska Inst, Acta Derm Ven ’93;73:18.

Evening Primrose Not Help Atopic: DC 58 kids atopic dermatitis 16 week Epogam evening primrose. 22 with asthma. No benefit. Arch Dis Child 12/96, Sweden. Same result with 24 week DB 600 mg/d GLA in South Africa, Dermatology ’96;193:115-20. Same result with both Primrose and fish oil in 16 wk 123 pt study in UK in Lancet 6/19/93;341:1557-60. Some benefit found in Drugs Exp Clin Res ’94;20:77-84 in U Bologna.

Fish Oil Helps Atopic Dermatitis: DB PC 12 wk 3g/d n-3 fish oil vs. olive oil favored fish oil with decreased scaling, itch, and subjective severity. Bjorneboe, Norway, J Intern Med Suppl ’89;225:233

EPA with Sunflower oil Helps Pressure ulcers: 86 elderly in NH rx DB PC Q8hr with 20 ml over whole body and especially in pressure spots with sunflower oil with EPA 1.6g or placebo. Both with vitamins E and A in vehicle. Dramatic benefit with rx with much better elasticity and hydration and far fewer bed sores. Declair, Sao Paulo, Ostomy Wound Management ‘97’43:48

Psoriasis

Psoriasis Not Helped: DB study of 10g fish oil with 1.8g EPA no benefit tho incr in serum phospholipid n-3. Bjorneboe, U Ulleval, Br J Derm 1/88;118:77

IV n-3 Helped: A DB study of omega-3 vs. n-6 found decrease in psoriasis. Mayser, Germany, J Am Acad Derm 9/98;39:421

Fish Oil Helped: DB 18 pt 15 wk fish oil vs olive. All received phototherapy. Gupta, U Michigan, Br J Derm 6/89;120:801-7

Fish Oil Helped: DB PC 28 pts 8 wk 10 MaxEPA caps vs olive. Decr erythema, itching, scaling, with trend toward less surface area. Bittiner, Sheffield UK, Lancet, 2/20/88;1:378

Evening Primrose Oil + Fish Oil Didn't Help Psoriasis-RA: DB 12 caps Efamol Marine 9 mo. No decr NSAID requireent or other measures of illness. DJ Veale, Dundee, Br J Rheum 10/94;33:954-8

Evening Prim+Fish Oil No Benefit Psoriasis: 37 pt DB no benefit. UK, Clin Exp Derm 3/94;19:127-9