Colloidal Oatmeal

Formulations and the

Treatment of Atopic
Dermatitis
October 2014 | Volume 13 | Issue 10 |
Original Article | 1180 | Copyright ©
October 2014

   
Joseph F. Fowler Jr. MD FAAD
Division of Dermatology, University of
Louisville School of Medicine,
Louisville, KY

ABSTRACT

Colloidal oatmeal suspensions are currently

available in bath soaps, shampoos, shaving
gels, and moisturizing creams, and several
studies have been conducted that
demonstrate the eTcacy and safety of
colloidal oatmeal for the treatment of
inUammatory skin conditions. The diverse
chemical polymorphism of oats translates
into numerous clinical utilities for atopic
dermatitis (AD) and eczema.
Avenanthramides are the principle
polyphenolic antioxidants in oats, and they
have been shown to assuage inUammation
in murine models of contact hypersensitivity
and neurogenic inUammation and also
reduce pruritogen-induced scratching in a
murine itch model. Moreover,
avenanthramides are a potent antioxidant.
This paper will discuss various studies that
have found colloidal oatmeal compounds to
be bene[cial in the treatment of AD and also
as adjunctive treatments for AD.

J Drugs Dermatol. ]^B_;Ba(B^):BBc^-BBca.

INTRODUCTION
In BC_d, colloidal oatmeal compounds became
available for the treatment of inUammatory skin
conditions.! In BCcC, the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) recognized colloidal
oatmeal as a safe and eeective Category I
ingredient, and it approved colloidal oatmeal as
a skin protectant in ]^^a. Today, colloidal
oatmeal suspensions are available in bath soaps,
shampoos, shaving gels, and moisturizing
creams.! Moreover, a wide range of studies have
been conducted that evaluate the eTcacy and
safety of colloidal oatmeal as adjunct treatment
in the management of atopic dermatitis (AD),
and these studies have found that moisturizers
and/or cleansers containing colloidal oatmeal
signi[cantly improved many of the clinical
outcomes associated with AD."
Oats (Avena sativa) contain of a wide array of
phytochemicals that include carbohydrates,
proteins, lipids, Uavonoids, avenanthramides,
tocols, alkaloids, saponins, and sterols.# The
diverse chemical polymorphism of oats
translates into a myriad of clinical utilities for AD
and eczema. The high concentration in starches
and beta-glucan in oats provide protective and
water-holding functions.! The saponins in oats
are largely responsible for its cleansing activity.!
The antioxidant and anti-inUammatory eeect of
colloidal oatmeal is due in particular to the
presence of avenanthramides, vitamin E, ferulic
acid and other antioxidants.$,& (Figure B)
Avenanthramides are the principle polyphenolic
antioxidants in oats.$ Although avenanthramides
represent only a small constituent of oats, they
can have signi[cant eeects on the inUammatory
processes typical of AD. Sur and colleagues
found that avenanthramides at concentrations
as low as B parts per billion diminished
phosphorylation of the pgd subunit of nuclear
factor kappa B (NF-kappaB).' Further, cells
treated with avenanthramides showed a
signi[cant inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-
alpha (TNF-alpha) and reduction of interleukin-c
(IL-c) release.' Moreover, topical application of B-
a ppm avenanthramides has allayed
inUammation in murine models of contact
hypersensitivity and neurogenic inUammation
and reduced pruritogen-induced scratching in a
murine itch model. Sur and colleagues
concluded that the avenanthramides found in
oats proved to be potent anti-inUammatory
agents.
Chen and colleagues assessed the
pharmacokinetics and antioxidant action of
avenanthramide A, B, and C in healthy older
adults in a randomized, placebo-controlled, a-
way crossover trial.( Six subjects consumed ag^
milliliters of skim milk alone (placebo) or
containing ^.d or B grams of an avenanthramide-
enriched mixture extracted from oats. Plasma
samples were collected over a B^-hour period,
and the respective concentrations of
avenanthramide A, avenanthramide B, and
avenanthramide C in the avenanthramide-
enriched mixture group were Bd_, B^C, and BBB
micromoles per gram. After consumption of B
gram of avenanthramide-enriched mixture,
plasma glutathione was elevated by ]B% at Bd
min (P < or = ^.^^d) and by B_% at B^ hours (P <
or = ^.^d). Thus, the investigators determined
that oat avenanthramides are bioavailable and
increase the glutathione antioxidant levels of
healthy older adults.

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