Botanical Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Pruritus: a Systematic Review

Abstract

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is widely used by patients who suffer from chronic pruritus, but there is little data on the efficacy or antipruritic mechanism of these interventions. This review assesses the current understanding of the clinical efficacy and purported mechanisms of CAM therapy for pruritic skin disease, and serves as a basis for further investigation into the pharmacological basis of plant-based CAM for pruritus and patient motivations in the adoption of these types of therapies. To assess the current state of the literature, we queried multiple databases for reports of botanical CAM therapies for pruritic skin conditions. Numerous in vitro and animal studies show positive results, but antipruritic effects in human trials are varied. Many of these topical and systemic therapies have demonstrated measurable impact on inflammatory pathways, including some that are known to be crucial in transmission of itch signaling. CAM is a frequently utilized but somewhat poorly understood intervention for chronic pruritus, though our understanding of the impact of these therapies on pruritus has improved in recent years. Further studies into the mechanism and efficacy of CAM-based therapies for chronic pruritus, and patient attitudes towards these practices, are warranted.