THE EFFECTS OF GAMOLENIC ACID ON ADULT ATOPIC ECZEMA AND PREMENSTRUAL EXACERBATION OF ECZEMA

A double blind, parallel, placebo controlled study was performed to assess the effects of four months treatment with gamolenic acid in evening primrose oil on adult atopic eczema. Fifty-eight subjects entered the study and results were analysed for fifty-two of these. Subjects were divided into three groups, women with, and women without, a reported premenstrual exacerbation of their eczema and men. Mean results for the three groups combined showed a significant effect of evening primrose oil on erythema and surface damage when compared with placebo. No significant effect on the mean clinical score for lichenification was found. When maximum severity was examined there was a significant effect of evening primrose oil on erythema after four months treatment and on lichenification 2 months post-treatment but no effect on surface damage