Atopic dermatitis and essential fatty acids: a biochemical basis for atopy?

Abstract

The effects of dietary supplementation with evening primrose oil (Efamol) in 99 patients with atopic dermatitis were investigated in a double blind, controlled crossover study. Simultaneously, plasma phospholipid essential fatty acid status was determined in 50 of these patients before and after treatment. In a separate study, lymphocyte subsets and mitogen responses were investigated in 15 atopic patients before and after treatment. The conclusion is that evening primrose oil improves atopic dermatitis; an abnormality of the enzyme delta-6-desaturase is proposed to explain the biochemical findings. Finally, it is concluded that the therapeutic effect of evening primrose oil is unlikely to be mediated through a primarily immunological mechanism.

• Authors: S Wright
• Journal: Acta dermato-venereologica. Supplementum (Acta Derm Venereol Suppl (Stockh)) Vol. 114 Pg. 143-5 ( 1985) ISSN: 0365-8341 [Print] Norway
• PMID: 3890448 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Controlled Clinical Trial, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Fatty Acids, Essential
• Fatty Acids, Unsaturated
• Hypolipidemic Agents
• Linoleic Acids
• Plant Oils
• evening primrose oil
• gamma-Linolenic Acid

Topics

• Adult
• Child
• Clinical Trials as Topic
• Dermatitis, Atopic (diet therapy, immunology, metabolism)
• Double-Blind Method
• Fatty Acids, Essential
• Fatty Acids, Unsaturated (administration & dosage)
• Humans
• Hypolipidemic Agents (administration & dosage)
• Linoleic Acids
• Oenothera biennis
• Plant Oils
• T-Lymphocytes (classification, immunology)
• gamma-Linolenic Acid