Burns

Burns are tissue damage to the skin caused by exposure to heat, friction, toxic chemicals, sunlight (ultra-violet radiation) or electricity.

Burns are usually classified according to their severity.  First-degree burns only involve the outermost layer of the skin (the epidermis) and cause erythema (redness) and edema (water retention) and inflammation.  Second-degree burns involve the outermost two layers of the skin (the dermis and the epidermis) and usually form blister as well as redness, water retention and inflammation.  Third degree burns are the most severe type of burn and involve the destruction of the entire skin with severe scarring as well as blisters, redness, water retention and inflammation.

In addition to the obvious skin disfigurement caused by burns, immune function can be suppressed and muscular dystrophy can occur in burns patients.

Our suggested therapies for burns help to:

· Reduce the risk of the infection of burns.

· Accelerate the healing of burns.

· Reduce the scarring that can occur from burns.

· Reduce the immune system suppression that occurs from burns.

· Reduce the risk of muscular dystrophy that can occur from burns.

The following are suggested therapies that may treat burns:

Aloe vera:

Rationale:

Topical application of Aloe vera to burns has been found in numerous clinical trials to facilitate the healing of (first degree and second degree) burns.

In one study, guinea pigs were deliberately given third degree burns by putting them on a hot-plate (how cruel!).  The burns of animals receiving topical Aloe vera treatment were found to completely heal in an average of 30 days compared to control animals that did not receive Aloe vera - their burns did not completely heal until an average of 50 days.

In a human study, 27 second degree burns patients were treated with either topical Aloe vera gel or vaseline gauze.  Patients treated with topical Aloe vera gel healed in an average of 12 days compared to 18 days in patients treated with vaseline gauze.

Another study found topical Aloe vera gel to be at least 50% more effective for the treatment of burns than other remedies.

Dosage:

Aloe vera gel or ointment is applied topically to the site of burns several times per day.

Arginine:

Rationale:

Clinical studies have demonstrated the ability of arginine to accelerate the healing of burns.

Dosage:

4,500 mg per day.

Glutamine:

Rationale:

Serious (second and third degree) burns cause suppression of the immune system.  This occurs from burns causing the body’s depletion of glutamine.  Studies have found that the concentration of glutamine in the blood of burns patients is 58% lower than the concentration in normal, healthy persons and remains low for approximately 21 days.  Supplementing with glutamine helps to prevent this immune suppression caused by burns.

Dosage:

1,500 - 10,000 mg per day (depending on the severity of the burn).

Propolis:

Rationale:

The antimicrobial properties of the galangin content of propolis prevent burns from becoming infected and accelerate their healing.

Dosage:

Propolis fluid extract/tincture or propolis-containing ointment is applied topically to burns.

Calendula:

Rationale:

Calendula ointment reduces the inflammation associated with burns.

Dosage:

Calendula ointment is applied topically to the site of burns.

Carnosine:

Rationale:

Carnosine accelerates the healing of burns.  In clinical studies, animals treated with carnosine experienced acceleration in the healing of their burn wounds.

Dosage:

50 - 500 mg per day.

Vitamin E:

Rationale:

Vitamin E accelerates the healing of burns and prevents subsequent scarring from burns.

Dosage:

Vitamin E cream is applied topically to burns; alternatively, a vitamin E capsule can be pricked open and applied topically to the burn.

400 - 800 IU per day of oral vitamin E may further enhance the effectiveness of vitamin E for the healing of burns.

PABA:

Rationale:

PABA is claimed to accelerate the healing of burns.  This claim has not yet been tested in clinical studies.

Dosage:

1,000 - 2,000 mg per day.

Vitamin A:

Rationale:

Burns often cause a suppression of the immune system, making burns sufferers more prone to infections.  Vitamin A has been demonstrated to prevent or inhibit the suppression of the immune system that occurs in burns patients.

Dosage:

10,000 - 20,000 IU per day.

Vitamin C:

Rationale:

Oral vitamin C accelerates the healing of burns, primarily by enhancing the production of additional collagen.

Dosage:

Up to 10,000 mg (10 grams) per day.

OKG:
(Ornithine Alpha-Ketoglutarate)

Rationale:

OKG facilitates the healing of burns and helps to prevent the muscular atrophy that often occurs in burns patients.  These effects occur from OKG stimulating the secretion of anabolic hormones such as human growth hormone, thereby preventing protein breakdown in burns patients.

Dosage:

Up to 10,000 mg (10 grams) per day.

Vitamin B5:

Rationale:

In the late 1940s and early 1950s, there was some interest in vitamin B5 as a factor in the healing of burns and other skin lesions.

In 1992 a clinical study found that topical application of vitamin B5 cream accelerated the healing of burns.

Dosage:

500 - 2,000 mg per day.

Vitamin B5 cream is applied topically to the site of the burn.

DHEA:

Rationale:

Topical application of DHEA cream to the site of burns helps to protect the blood vessels that serve the skin from destruction.  This may inhibit the peeling off of the skin after burns.

Burns patients have been found to have severely depleted serum DHEA levels.

A laboratory study conducted on mice found that oral DHEA helped to prevent the suppression of the immune system that normally occurs after burns.  Another clinical study found that intravenous administration of DHEA accelerated the healing of burns.

Dosage:

25 – 50 mg per day.

DHEA-containing cream is applied topically to the skin.

Gotu Kola:

Rationale:

Topical application of gotu kola fluid extract accelerates the healing of (second and third degree) burns.  It also limits the shrinkage of the skin, scarring and inflammation of the skin that occurs with burns.

Dosage:

Gotu kola fluid extract or tincture is applied topically to the site of burns.

Topical Gotu kola is particularly effective when treatment is commenced immediately after the occurrence of burns.

Neem:

Rationale:

Neem accelerates the healing of burns and helps to prevent infections occurring at the site of burns.

Dosage:

2,000 - 3,000 mg per day (using oral neem leaf capsules).

0.5 - 3 ml per day (using oral neem leaf liquid extract).

Neem oil cream or lotion is applied topically to the site of burns.

Bromelain:

Rationale:

Bromelain accelerates the healing of burns and accelerates the clearance of burns debris (unwanted tissue breakdown products that are formed during burns and during the healing of burns).

Dosage:

750 - 1,000 mg per day.

Fish Oils:

Rationale:

Fish oils help to prevent the suppression of the immune system that can occur as a result of burns.

Dosage:

10,000 mg per day (this would supply 1,800 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 1,200 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) per day).

Chondroitin Sulfate:

Rationale:

Chondroitin sulfate accelerates the healing of burns and increases the tensile strength of the new tissues formed during the healing of burns.  In Japan, chondroitin sulfate is routinely employed and prescribed for the treatment of burns.

Dosage:

1,200 mg per day.

Cysteine:

Rationale:

Cysteine accelerates the healing of burns.

Dosage:

1,000 - 2,000 mg per day.

Vitamin D:

Rationale:

People who experience severe burns to large areas of their body often develop marked vitamin D deficiency.  This occurs because burnt skin is unable to synthesize vitamin D from sunlight (which is the main source of vitamin D for humans).

Therefore oral vitamin D may be required to make up for this lack of synthesis from the sun.

Dosage:

400 - 1,000 IU per day.

The best form of vitamin D is vitamin D3.  This is the form that is naturally produced within the human body when exposed to sunlight.

Emu Oil:

Rationale:

Emu oil accelerates the healing of first and second degree burns and minimizes the pain, scarring and blistering associated with burns.

These claims are based on reports from physicians controlling burns units in hospitals using emu oil for the treatment of burns but have not been tested in scientific studies.

Dosage:

Emu oil is applied topically to the site of burns.

Lavender Oil:

Rationale:

Topical application of lavender oil is claimed to accelerate the healing of first and second degree burns.

This use of lavender oil has not yet been tested in scientific studies.

Dosage:

Lavender oil is applied topically to the skin at the site of the burn.

Lifestyle Changes to Assist the Treatment of Burns

Water:

A first-line treatment for burns is to immediately immerse the burn in cold running water.

References

Aloe vera

· Visuthikosol, V., et al.  Effect of aloe vera gel to healing of burn wound:  A clinical and histological study.  J Med Assoc Thai.  78(8):403-409, 1995.

Arginine

· Yu, Y., et al.  Kinetics of plasma arginine and leucine in pediatric burn patients.    American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.  64(1):60-66, 1996.

Bromelain

· Klaue, P., et al.  [Experimental examination of the use of topical bromelain to treat sub dermal burns on animals.]  Therapiewoche.  29:796-799, 1979.

Calendula

· Klouchek-Popova, E., et al.  Influence of the physiological regeneration and epithelialization using fractions isolated from Calendula officinalis.  Acta Physiol Pharmacol Bulg.  8(4):63-67, 1982.

Carnosine

· Kyriazis, M.  Carnosine:  the new anti-aging supplement.  Anti-Aging Bulletin.  4(6):3-7, 2000.

DHEA

· Araneo, B. A., et al.  Administration of dehydroepiandrosterone to burned mice preserves normal immunologic competence.  Arch Surg.  128(3):318-325, 1993.

Glutamine

· Gore, D. C., et al.  Deficiency in peripheral glutamine production in pediatric patients with burns.  Burn Care Rehabil.  21:171-177, 2001.

Gotu Kola

· Gravel, J. A.  Oxygen dressings and asiaticoside in the treatment of burns.  Laval Med.  36:413-415, 1965.

Neem

· Singh, N., et al.  Melia azadirachta in some common skin disorders, a clinical evaluation.  Antiseptic.  76:677-679, 1979.

OKG

· De Bandt, J. P., et al.  A randomized controlled trial of the influence of the mode of enteral ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate administration in burn patients.  Journal of Nutrition.  128(3):563-569, 1998.

Propolis

· Gregory, S. R., et al.  Comparison of propolis skin cream to silver sulfadiazine: a naturopathic alternative to antibiotics in treatment of minor burns.  J Altern Complement Med.  8(1):77-83, 2002.

Vitamin A

· Murray, Michael T.  The Encyclopedia of Nutritional Supplements:  the essential guide for improving your health naturally.  Prima Publishing, Rocklin, California, USA.  1996:27.

Vitamin B5

· Ebner, F., et al.  Topical use of dexpanthenol in skin disorders.  Am J Clin Dermatol.  3(6):427-433, 2002.

Vitamin C

· Tanaka, H., et al.  Reduction of resuscitation fluid volumes in severely burned patients using ascorbic acid administration: a randomized, prospective study.  Arch Surg.  135(3):326-331, 2000.

Vitamin E

· Khodr, B., et al.  Effect of short-term and long-term antioxidant therapy on primary and secondary ageing neurovascular processes.  J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci.  58(8):B698-B708, 2003.

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