Emu Oil (Oral)

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to inform the development of guidelines on the management of radiodermatitis among patients with cancer. LITERATURE SEARCH: The authors updated a systematic review to include available literature published through September 30, 2019. DATA EVALUATION: Two investigators assessed risk of bias using the Cochrane Collaboration risk-of-bias tool and certainty of the evidence using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) approach. SYNTHESIS: The use of deodorant/antiperspirant had no effect on development of radiodermatitis. Aloe vera and emu oil were equivalent or less effective than standard care. Oral curcumin had a minimal beneficial effect. Nonsteroidal topical interventions had a minimal beneficial effect on the development of moist desquamation and relief of itching while causing a small increase for grade 2 radiodermatitis. Topical calendula increased risk for the development of radiodermatitis. Topical steroids and dressings each showed benefits to minimize the development of radiodermatitis and moist desquamation while lowering rates of patient-reported symptoms, such as pain and pruritus. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH: Symptom management strategies for radiodermatitis among patients with cancer that are likely to be effective include topical nonsteroidals, topical steroids, and dressings. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL CAN BE FOUND AT HTTPS: //bit.ly/2FWj3Kp.

BACKGROUND: Adjuvant aromatase inhibitors (AI) improve survival compared to tamoxifen in postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive stage I to III breast cancer. In approximately half of these women, AI are associated with aromatase inhibitor-induced musculoskeletal symptoms (AIMSS), often described as symmetrical pain and soreness in the joints, musculoskeletal pain and joint stiffness. AIMSS may have significant and prolonged impact on women's quality of life. AIMSS reduces adherence to AI therapy in up to a half of women, potentially compromising breast cancer outcomes. Differing systemic therapies have been investigated for the prevention and treatment of AIMSS, but the effectiveness of these therapies remains unclear. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of systemic therapies on the prevention or management of AIMSS in women with stage I to III hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. SEARCH METHODS: We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) and Clinicaltrials.gov registries to September 2020 and the Cochrane Breast Cancer Group (CBCG) Specialised Register to March 2021. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included all randomised controlled trials that compared systemic therapies to a comparator arm. Systemic therapy interventions included all pharmacological therapies, dietary supplements, and complementary and alternative medicines (CAM). All comparator arms were allowed including placebo or standard of care (or both) with analgesia alone. Published and non-peer-reviewed studies were eligible. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias and certainty of the evidence using the GRADE approach. Outcomes assessed were pain, stiffness, grip strength, safety data, discontinuation of AI, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), breast cancer-specific quality of life (BCS-QoL), incidence of AIMSS, breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) and overall survival (OS). For continuous outcomes, we used vote-counting by reporting how many studies reported a clinically significant benefit within the confidence intervals (CI) of the mean difference

Treatment options for Peyronie's disease (PD) remain limited. Topical H100 gel, (Hybrid Medical, Edina, USA), which contains nicardipine, super oxide dismutase and emu oil showed safety and efficacy in a previous small double-blind placebo-controlled pilot study. The present study evaluates if topically applied H100 gel applied to the penile shaft infiltrates the tunica albuginea. Nicardipine is a key active ingredient in H100 and serves as a surrogate marker. Three men already scheduled to undergo a planned surgical procedure for PD applied commercially available H100 gel twice daily to the penile shaft for up to 30 days prior to the procedure. Tunica albuginea samples were obtained at surgery. Nicardipine evaluation was performed using isotope dilution technique via liquid-chromatograph-mass spectrometry (LCMS). All three patients tolerated H100 gel application without side effects. All three tunica albuginea specimens showed detectable nicardipine in the tunical tissue. Transdermal application of commercially available H100 gel is able to penetrate the tunica albuginea tissue and is detectable in men with acute and chronic PD. This finding may support the encouraging results found in the prior H100 pilot study. © 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.

BACKGROUND: Peripheral neuropathy can significantly impact the quality of life for those who are affected, as therapies from the current treatment algorithm often fail to deliver adequate symptom relief. There has, however, been an increasing body of evidence for the use of cannabinoids in the treatment of chronic, noncancer pain. The efficacy of a topically delivered cannabidiol (CBD) oil in the management of neuropathic pain was examined in this four-week, randomized and placebocontrolled trial. METHODS: In total, 29 patients with symptomatic peripheral neuropathy were recruited and enrolled. 15 patients were randomized to the CBD group with the treatment product containing 250 mg CBD/3 fl. oz, and 14 patients were randomized to the placebo group. After four weeks, the placebo group was allowed to crossover into the treatment group. The Neuropathic Pain Scale (NPS) was administered biweekly to assess the mean change from baseline to the end of the treatment period. RESULTS: The study population included 62.1% males and 37.9% females with a mean age of 68 years. There was a statistically significant reduction in intense pain, sharp pain, cold and itchy sensations in the CBD group when compared to the placebo group. No adverse events were reported in this study. CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrate that the transdermal application of CBD oil can achieve significant improvement in pain and other disturbing sensations in patients with peripheral neuropathy. The treatment product was well tolerated and may provide a more effective alternative compared to other current therapies in the treatment of peripheral neuropathy.

PURPOSE: Aromatase inhibitors are standard of care in women with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer. Published evidence demonstrates that adverse effects may have an impact on drug compliance, with arthralgias being one of the most commonly reported adverse effects. METHODS: Eligible patients were postmenopausal women who had experienced arthralgia following initiation of an aromatase inhibitor. Patients who experienced arthralgias following a minimum of a 3-month treatment on the aromatase inhibitor were randomized to emu oil or placebo oil. The primary endpoint was to assess for a reduction in pain as measured by a visual analogue score after 8 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: Seventy-three patients comprised the intent-to-treat population, and there was no statistically significant benefit with use of EO. However, there was a statistically significant improvement in pain (visual analogue score was -1.28; p < 0.001) and Brief Pain Inventory severity score -0.88 (p < 0.001), as well as functional interference (Brief Pain Inventory interference -1.10 (p < 0.001) for the entire population following an 8-week administration of EO or placebo oil. CONCLUSIONS: Arthralgias, as a result of aromatase inhibitor use, may be ameliorated by the use of topical oil massaged onto the joint. Further research into interventions for this common side effect is needed.

Erratum in Int J Impot Res. 2021 Sep;33(6):665. doi: 10.1038/s41443-020-0303-z. Comment in J Urol. 2016 May;195(5):1562-1564. doi: 10.1016/j.juro.2016.02.053. Safety and efficacy of topically applied gel H-100 composed of Nicardipine, superoxide dismutase and emu oil for treatment of acute phase Peyronie's disease (PD) was evaluated. Twenty-two patients (PD <12 months duration) were studied in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Eleven patients received H-100 and 11 patients received placebo for 3 months. All 22 patients then received H-100 for the final 3 months. Flaccid-stretched penile length, degree of penile curvature, pain level and side effects were assessed monthly. H-100 showed significant improvement in all PD parameters at 6 months: mean stretched penile length increase (22.6%, P=0.0002), mean curvature reduction (40.8%, P=0.0014), and mean pain level reduction (85.7%, P=0.004). Placebo group showed no significant improvement except for mean stretched penile length increase (6.8%, P=0.009). Crossover patients from placebo to H-100 showed significant improvement in all parameters: mean stretched penile length increase (17.5%, P=0.000007), mean curvature reduction (37.1%, P=0.006), and mean pain level reduction (40%, P=0.17). Treatment was well tolerated. A self-limited rash was the only side effect in three patients. Statistically significant improvements in flaccid-stretched penile length, curvature and pain suggest that H-100 is a safe and possibly effective non-invasive, topically applied treatment for acute phase Peyronie's Disease.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this single-institution pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of an oil-based skin agent, Ultra Emu Oil, on skin-related toxicity in patients undergoing radiation therapy to the breast or chest wall. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Patients were randomized 2:1 in a double-blind fashion and were instructed to apply processed Ultra Emu Oil or placebo (cottonseed oil) twice daily during the course of radiation therapy. The oils were applied before the third fraction and continued for 6 weeks after completion of treatment. The primary endpoint was the area under the curve (AUC) of Skindex-16 scale scores over time. Secondary outcomes included maximum grade of radiation dermatitis using the Common Terminology Criteria (CTC) for Adverse Events (CTCAE 3.0), the Skin Toxicity Assessment Tool, quality of life (QOL) measured by Linear Analogue Self-Assessment, and a symptom experience diary (SED). RESULTS: In all, 42 of 45 patients completed the study and were evaluable. The median times to peak rash, skin redness, peeling, and skin swelling were weeks 6, 6, 7, and 7, respectively as measured by the SED. The Skindex AUC scores tended to be lower in emu oil patients than in placebo patients (mean total AUC 7.2 vs 10.4, respectively). This trend was also seen in all the Skindex subdomains. The overall QOL was slightly better in the emu oil group but remained stable throughout the study for both arms. Peak CTC toxicity occurred at week 6. Patients using emu oil appeared slightly worse on maximum CTC grade, but the difference was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study confirmed the safety of oil-based skin treatments during radiation therapy and suggests a trend for reduced skin toxicity for patients receiving emu oil. A larger study is needed to evaluate the efficacy of emu oil in reducing radiation dermatitis in patients receiving breast radiation.