A Double-blind, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy of Individualized Homeopathic Medicines in Atopic Dermatitis in Adults

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, relapsing condition, caused by gene interaction, and immunological, environmental and pharmacological abnormalities. Since last four decades, rising trend in AD has been observed in India. Homeopathic medicines are claimed to be beneficial in AD; however, research evidences are inadequate. We compared the efficacy of individualized homeopathic medicines (IHMs) against placebos in treatment of AD. In this 6-months, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial (n=60), patients were randomized to receive either IHMs (n=30) or identical-looking placebos (n=30). Primary outcome measure was Patient Oriented Scoring of Atopic Dermatitis (PO-SCORAD); secondary outcomes were Atopic Dermatitis Burden Scale for Adults (ADBSA) and Dermatological Life Quality Index (DLQI) – all were measured at baseline and every month, up to 6 months. Group differences were calculated on intention-to-treat sample. After 6 months of intervention, group differences became statistically significant favoring IHMs against placebos on the primary outcome. Group differences on the secondary outcomes, though favored homeopathy, still were non-significant. Thus, IHMs performed significantly better than placebos in treatment of AD in adults.