Plant-Based Therapies for Atopic Dermatitis Management: A Review

Abstract : Dermatological issues pose a frequent challenge for small clinical practitioners, presenting a spectrum of conditions encompassing otitis, pyoderma, anal sac problems, flea allergy, and atopic dermatitis (AD). Atopic Dermatitis (AD) is a chronic and recurring skin condition characterized by distributed skin lesions. In recent decades, researchers have shown a keen interest in AD due to its increased prevalence in developed countries. While various treatment strategies, including biological and immune modulators, are available for AD, each has certain limitations. Researchers have exhibited a significant interest in managing AD with herbal medicines. The use of herbal drugs for AD could potentially eliminate local and systemic adverse effects associated with long-term corticosteroid use, as well as reduce the high cost of therapy with biological drugs. This review discusses traditional East Asian herbal medicines as well as scientific data related to newer herbal extracts or compositions for the treatment of AD. The paper also delves into in vivo animal models and in vitro cell cultures that have been investigated with herbal medicines to establish a potential role in the treatment of AD. In conclusion, herbal medicines could serve as a better and safer complementary and alternative treatment option for AD.