title: [Herba Saxifragae cream in treatment of chronic eczema: a randomized controlled trial].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the clinical efficacy of Herba Saxifragae cream (HS), a compound of traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on chronic eczema.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 42 cases of chronic eczema were randomly divided into HS group (22 cases) and hydrocortisone (HC) group (20 cases). To the HS group, HS was externally applied twice a day continuously for 4 weeks. To the HC group, hydrocortisone was externally applied twice a day continuously for 4 weeks. The total score of symptom score reducing index (SSRI) was calculated before and after treatment in terms of itching degree, lesion shape and lesion area, in the evaluation of the clinical efficacy of HS on chronic eczema.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 2-week treatment, the total response rate of HS group was 77.3%, and the total response rate of HC group was 70.0%. After 4-week treatment, the total response rates were 86.4% and 85.0% in HS and HC groups respectively. There was no statistical difference in total scores of SSRI between the two groups (P>0.05), and neither was there the difference in the score of itching degree, lesion shape and lesion area (P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Herba Saxifragae cream has the same effect as hydrocortisone in treating chronic eczema.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Fu-lun
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lin-ling
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Jing-lin
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004485:Eczema / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D031995:Saxifragaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D006854:Hydrocortisone