β-Glucan-Based Cream (Containing Pleuran Isolated from Pleurotus ostreatus) in Supportive Treatment of Mild-to-Moderate Atopic Dermatitis

Authors:
Milos Jesenak, Slavomir Urbancek, Juraj Majtan, Peter Banovcin, Jana Hercogova

Journal:
Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2015
DOI: 10.3109/09546634.2015.1117565

Study Design

Multicenter, open-label, split-body clinical study over 6 months, conducted across 10 dermatology centers in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

Participants

105 patients (ages ≥6 months) with mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis (AD); 80 completed the full 6-month observation period.

Intervention

A 0.25% β-glucan cream (Imunoglukan P4H®) was applied two to three times daily to one side of the body, while the other side received only standard emollient. Differences between the two sides were analyzed for comparison.

Outcome Measures

• Subjective symptoms: pruritus (itching), flare intensity, duration (VAS and patient-reported)
• Objective symptoms: eczema area and severity index (EASI score)
• Tolerability and adverse effects

Summary

This split-body study evaluated a β-glucan-based cream (from Pleurotus ostreatus) for treating mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis. Over 6 months, the side treated with the β-glucan cream showed significantly greater reductions in pruritus, flare intensity, and duration. EASI scores were also consistently lower on the β-glucan-treated side across all visits. The cream was generally well tolerated, with only mild, transient local reactions in a small subset of participants. The findings suggest β-glucan creams may be a safe and effective supportive therapy for managing atopic dermatitis symptoms.