Efficacy of Taxi San on <italic>staphylococcus aureus</italic> colonization in atopic dermatitis patients with dampness-heat syndrome

<x>Abstract</x> <sec> <title>Background:</title> Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder characterized by recurrent eczema-like rashes and severe itching. Taxi San is an external herbal formulation with the effects of clearing heat, drying dampness, detoxifying, and relieving itching, making it suitable for treating acute and subacute dermatitis or eczema. </sec> <sec> <title>Objectives:</title> To evaluate the clinical efficacy of topical Taxi San in treating atopic dermatitis patients with dampness-heat syndrome and its inhibitory effect against <italic>Staphylococcus aureus</italic> (<italic>S. aureus</italic>) colonization. </sec> <sec> <title>Methods:</title> 50 patients with atopic dermatitis were enrolled from the Dermatology Department of Shaanxi Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, with bilateral symmetrical lesions selected as target sites. The control-side lesions were treated with boric acid solution wet compresses, while the treatment-side lesions received Taxi San solution wet compresses, both administered twice daily for 14 d. Clinical efficacy was evaluated using the Scoring Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD), Investigator Global Assessment (IGA), Dermatology Life Quality Index/Children’s Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI/CDLQI), adverse events (AEs) and <italic>S. aureus</italic> colonization density, which were compared between the groups. The antibacterial efficacy of Taxi San was further investigated through <italic>in vitro</italic> antibacterial tests. </sec> <sec> <title>Results:</title> After 14 d of treatment with Taxi San, erythema and pimples were reduced on the treated sides. Additionally, the SCORAD, IGA, and DLQI/CDLQI scores showed significant decreases (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05). <italic>S. aureus</italic> colonization on the treated sides declined markedly from 78% to 4.76%. Compared to the control sides, the reduction in <italic>S. aureus</italic> colonization following 14 d of Taxi San treatment was statistically significant (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05). Furthermore, <italic>in vitro</italic> antibacterial assays demonstrated that the minimum inhibitory concentration of Taxi San against the seven tested <italic>S. aureus</italic> strains was 0.125 g/mL. </sec> <sec> <title>Conclusions:</title> Taxi San effectively reduces <italic>S. aureus</italic> colonization and ameliorates clinical symptoms in atopic dermatitis patients with dampness-heat syndrome, demonstrating high therapeutic potential and safety. </sec>