Topical therapy with the betulin based triterpene extract (TE) in patients with chronic pruritus

The betulin (BE) based triterpene extract (TE) from birch cork contains 81% BE, betulinic acid (4%), lupeol (3%), erythrodiol (1%) and oleanolic acid (1%). The TE stabilizes a W/O emulsion (BE emulsion) without any other additives [1]. Experimental studies suggest that the TE components induce anti-inflammatory [2] and wound healing effects [3] in the skin, but no antipruritic activity is published, yet. An open-labelled trial aimed to investigate the antipruritic effects of the BE emulsion. 23 patients with chronic pruritus on unchanged skin as well as 20 patients with pruritus and chronic scratch lesions recei…