Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic itchy, inflammatory skin disease that usually develops in early childhood and is commonly seen in individuals with a personal or family history of similar skin disease or asthma. Persistence of AD has been reported in 60% of adults who had the disease as children. It is notorious for its recalcitrant and chronically recurrent nature. Along with the usual therapy of topical steroids, general skin care, and topical antibiotics there are also systemic methods of treating this disorder, which have already been well described.

Because effective medical treatments for this condition are limited in number, many patients have turned to alternative therapies1,4, including so-called natural products, herbal products and OTC treatments, many of which remain unproven.