Vegetarian diet ameliorates symptoms of atopic dermatitis through reduction of the number of peripheral eosinophils and of PGE2 synthesis by monocytes.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to assess whether a vegetarian diet could be effective for treating atopic dermatitis and to identify potential immunological mechanisms behind its effects.
Results Summary
After a two-month vegetarian diet intervention, patients showed significant improvement in dermatitis severity (measured by SCORAD index), reduced eosinophils and neutrophils, and decreased PGE2 production, though serum IgE levels remained unchanged.
Population
Twenty adult patients with atopic dermatitis.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Two months
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
a certain vegetarian diet | decrease | the severity of dermatitis | twenty patients with atopic dermatitis | - | strikingly inhibited | #1 |
a certain vegetarian diet | decrease | SCORAD index | twenty patients with atopic dermatitis | - | strikingly inhibited | #2 |
a certain vegetarian diet | decrease | serological parameters including LDH5 activity | twenty patients with atopic dermatitis | - | strikingly inhibited | #3 |
a certain vegetarian diet | decrease | a number of peripheral eosinophils | twenty patients with atopic dermatitis | - | strikingly inhibited | #4 |
a certain vegetarian diet | decrease | eosinophils | twenty patients with atopic dermatitis | - | sharp reduction | #5 |
a certain vegetarian diet | decrease | neutrophils | twenty patients with atopic dermatitis | - | sharp reduction | #6 |
a certain vegetarian diet | decrease | PGE2 production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells | twenty patients with atopic dermatitis | - | reduced | #7 |
a certain vegetarian diet | no change | serum IgE levels | twenty patients with atopic dermatitis | - | did not change | #8 |
Many patients with atopic dermatitis are dissatisfied with conventional treatments based on topical steroids and have experienced some traditional remedies and alternative therapies. However, most of such therapies have not been evaluated scientifically and clinically by specialists. This study was designed to assess whether a certain vegetarian diet might be effective for atopic dermatitis and if so, to identify the mechanisms of this remedy through analyses of immunological parameters. An open-trial study was carried out in twenty patients with atopic dermatitis. An improvement of dermatitis was evaluated by SCORAD index and serological and immunological parameters were monitored. After a two-month treatment, the severity of dermatitis was strikingly inhibited, as assessed by SCORAD index and serological parameters including LDH5 activity and a number of peripheral eosinophils. A sharp reduction in eosinophils and neutrophils was observed prior to improvement in the skin inflammation. In addition, PGE2 production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells was reduced by this treatment. In contrast, serum IgE levels did not change during the same period. Although this study is an open-trial one, it suggests that this treatment may be useful for the treatment of adult patients with severe atopic dermatitis.