Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Topical blackcurrant cream helps dogs with atopic dermatitis itching
By Marsella, Rosanna et al.·Published in Veterinary dermatology·2017·Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled pilot study on the effects of topical blackcurrant emulsion enriched in essential fatty acids, ceramides and 18-beta glycyrrhetinic acid on clinical signs and skin barrier function in dogs with atopic dermatitis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 45 dogs with mild to moderate skin itching and irritation due to atopic dermatitis (a common skin allergy) were treated with a special topical cream containing fatty acids and other ingredients for three months. After one month, about half of the dogs using the cream showed a significant reduction in itching, while only a few dogs receiving a placebo saw similar improvement. However, by the end of the study, the cream did not consistently reduce itching or improve skin condition compared to the placebo. While the cream had some initial benefits, it may not be enough on its own to manage the symptoms of atopic dermatitis effectively.
People also search for: dog itching treatment · atopic dermatitis in dogs · topical cream for dog skin problems
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Lipid-based emulsions can be useful for the management of canine atopic dermatitis (cAD). 18-beta glycyrrhetinic acid (GRA), a component of liquorice root, has anti-inflammatory and anti-pruritic effects. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of a topical lipid emulsion containing ceramides, fatty acids and GRA on clinical signs of cAD and skin barrier in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. METHODS: Client owned (n = 45) dogs with nonseasonal, mild/moderate AD, received either treatment or placebo for three months. Skin lesions, pruritus, transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and global assessment (GA) were evaluated. RESULTS: Fourteen dogs receiving treatment and 14 receiving the placebo completed the study. After one month ≥50% reduction in pruritus was seen in seven of 14 dogs (50%) in the Treatment group, and in two of 14 dogs (14.3%) in the Control group (P = 0.047). After two and three months, significant reduction in pruritus was not seen. For Canine Atopic Dermatitis Extent and Severity Index (CADESI), TEWL and GA, there were no significant findings over time or between groups. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The emulsion had some transient beneficial clinical effects. However, it was not effective in controlling pruritus as a monotherapy. Further studies should examine whether owner compliance was a factor in the steady decline of effect on pruritus scores. Further studies evaluating its role as an adjunctive therapy are indicated.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28736984/