BMJ  2003;327:1385 (13 December), doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7428.1385

Primary care

Efficacy and tolerability of borage oil in adults and children with atopic eczema: randomised, double blind, placebo controlled, parallel group trial

A Takwale, research fellow1, E Tan, research fellow1, S Agarwal, research fellow1, G Barclay, research fellow1, I Ahmed, research fellow1, K Hotchkiss, research nurse1, J R Thompson, professor2, T Chapman, technical director3, J Berth-Jones, consultant dermatologist1

1 Department of Dermatology, George Eliot Hospital, Nuneaton CV10 7DJ, 2 Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 6TP, 3 Essential Nutrition Ltd, Bank House, Saltgrounds Road, Brough, East Yorkshire HU15 1EF

Correspondence to: J Berth-Jones johnberthjones{at}aol.com

Objective To study the efficacy and tolerability of borage oil, which contains a high concentration of {gamma} linolenic acid, in children and adults with atopic eczema.

Design Single centre, randomised, double blind, placebo controlled, parallel group trial.

Setting Acute district general hospital in Nuneaton, England.

Participants 151 patients, of whom 11 failed to return for assessment, leaving an evaluable population of 140 (including 69 children).

Intervention Adults received four capsules of borage oil twice daily (920 mg {gamma} linolenic acid), and children received two capsules twice daily, for 12 weeks.

Main outcome measures Change in total sign score at 12 weeks measured with the six area, six sign, atopic dermatitis (SASSAD) score (primary endpoint); symptom scores, assessed on visual analogue scales; topical corticosteroid requirement, assessed on a five point scale; global assessment of response by participants; adverse events and tolerability.

Results The mean SASSAD score fell from 30 to 27 in the borage oil group and from 28 to 23 in the placebo group. The difference between the mean improvements in the two groups was 1.4 (95% confidence interval -2.2 to 5.0) points in favour of placebo (P = 0.45). No significant differences occurred between treatment groups in the other assessments. Subset analysis of adults and children did not indicate any difference in response. The treatments were well tolerated.

Conclusion {gamma} linolenic acid is not beneficial in atopic dermatitis.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Complore Complore   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Articles

Borage oil doesn't help atopic dermatitis
BMJ 2003 327: 0. [Full Text]

The drugs don't work
Richard Smith
BMJ 2003 327: 0. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Evening primrose oil for atopic dermatitis
Hywel C Williams
BMJ 2003 327: 1358-1359. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Bukutu, C., Deol, J., Shamseer, L., Vohra, S. (2007). Complementary, Holistic, and Integrative Medicine: Atopic Dermatitis. Pediatr. Rev. 28: e87-e94 [Full text]  
  • (2004). Other articles noted. Evid. Based Med. 9: 63-64 [Full text]  
  • (2004). From the Library. Br. J. Ophthalmol. 88: 442-442 [Full text]  
  • Williams, H. C (2003). Evening primrose oil for atopic dermatitis. BMJ 327: 1358-1359 [Full text]  

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

Missing the Picture
Ned Hoke
bmj.com, 13 Dec 2003 [Full text]
Essential fatty acids and dermatitis
Ellen C G Grant
bmj.com, 13 Dec 2003 [Full text]
Efficacy and tolerability of borage oil in adults and children with atopic eczema
Rakesh Kapoor
bmj.com, 15 Jan 2004 [Full text]
Access jobs at BMJ Careers
Whats new online at Student BMJ