The effects of rice bran broth bathing in patients with atopic dermatitis

We determined the effects of rice bran broth bathing therapy in 17 outpatients with atopic dermatitis. The rice bran broth used in this study was made in our hospital and distributed to the patients who dissolved it in the bathtub as a medicinal bath. In the case of one patient, redness and itching of the skin increased just after bathing. The patient subsequently discontinued therapy. We followed the other 16 patients who performed rice bran broth bathing for 2-5 months and examined their skin symptoms once a month. The efficacy of this therapy in alleviating skin symptoms was excellent in four of the 16 evaluated patients, good in seven, slightly effective in four, and ineffective in one. None of the 16 patients experienced negative effects of treatment. Recurrence of initial symptoms was not detected in any patient during rice bran broth bathing. Rice bran broth bathing therapy appears to be safe and clinically useful.