Herbal medicine for Eczema: Nourishing Skin from the Inside and Out

Following on from my previous blog covering the causes of Eczema (atopic dermatitis), I thought I'd chat today about how herbal medicine can make a big impact in this frustrating condition. As we explored, Eczema is more than just a surface-level condition — it’s a complex interplay of skin barrier dysfunction, immune dysregulation, microbiome imbalance, and often internal inflammation. While conventional treatments often focus on managing symptoms, herbal medicine offers a beautiful, holistic approach: working both topically and internally to restore balance, heal the skin, and calm the immune response.

In this blog, we'll explore some of the best-researched herbs that can support eczema — including Gotu Kola, Calendula, Chamomile, Sulforaphane-rich plants, Licorice, Baical Skullcap and Chickweed.

🌿 Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica)

Gotu kola is a renowned skin healer in traditional Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. Modern research shows that it enhances collagen production, improves wound healing, and strengthens the skin barrier — all critical for eczema sufferers. It also has mild adaptogenic properties, helping the body cope with stress, a known eczema trigger.

Gotu kola extracts may also be used topically to help stimulate skin cell proliferation and increase antioxidant levels in the skin, promoting repair. Topical creams containing gotu kola can help reduce inflammation and speed up healing during eczema flare-ups.

Clinical note: Studies show improved skin hydration and reduced eczema severity with regular gotu kola application.

🌼 Calendula (Calendula officinalis)

You'll find Calendula in many botanically skin creams, lotions and balms and rightly so, it is a powerhouse for skin healing. Calendula soothes irritation, reduces redness, and supports tissue repair as well as being a potent antimicrobial and antifungal. It’s particularly beneficial for dry, cracked, or weeping eczema lesions. Internally, Calendula offers mild lymphatic and anti-inflammatory support. It can gently assist detoxification pathways, potentially reducing systemic inflammation that can aggravate eczema.

Research highlight: Calendula extracts show significant anti-inflammatory and wound-healing activity in dermatological studies.

🌸 Chamomile (Matricaria recutita)

Chamomile has well-documented anti-inflammatory, antihistamine, and calming properties. It helps soothe an overactive immune response, reduce allergic reactions, and promote relaxation — critical for stress-induced flares. Chamomile creams and ointments can calm itching, reduce redness, and improve skin texture. Its flavonoids, like apigenin, penetrate deeply into the skin layers, enhancing its soothing effects.

Study insight: Topical chamomile extract has been found comparable to low-potency hydrocortisone in mild eczema cases.

🥦 Sulforaphane (from Broccoli Sprouts)

Sulforaphane is a potent antioxidant found in cruciferous vegetables, especially broccoli sprouts. It activates the Nrf2 pathway, a master regulator of antioxidant defenses, helping to reduce oxidative stress and systemic inflammation — both key drivers of eczema. Sulforaphane is the backbone of the GEMM protocol and is key in correct the gut-immune dysfunction often found with eczema sufferers.

Emerging research: Sulforaphane supplementation improves skin barrier function and may decrease inflammatory skin conditions, including eczema.

🍬 Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)

Licorice root acts as a natural corticosteroid mimic — reducing inflammation, soothing mucous membranes (including the gut, where eczema often has roots), and modulating immune activity. It can be particularly useful in cases where eczema is worsened by adrenal stress. Topical preparations of licorice extract have shown to significantly reduce redness, itching, and swelling in eczema lesions.

Clinical findings: A randomized trial showed licorice gel was highly effective in reducing eczema symptoms compared to placebo.

🌿 Baical Skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis)

This traditional Chinese herb is rich in flavonoids like baicalin, offering potent anti-inflammatory and antihistamine effects. It can downregulate allergic immune responses, making it highly valuable for eczema driven by allergies or histamine intolerance.

Scientific insight: Baicalin shows significant improvement in dermatitis models by reducing inflammatory cytokines like IL-4 and IL-13.

🌿 Chickweed (Stellaria media)

Chickweed is cooling, soothing, and mildly anti-inflammatory. Chickweed is famous in traditional herbalism for its ability to rapidly soothe itchiness, making it a first-line herb for irritated, hot, and weeping eczema lesions. Fresh chickweed poultices, infused oils, or creams can dramatically calm acute flare-ups.

📚 Clinical note: Chickweed’s high saponin content helps break up inflammatory debris at the skin surface, aiding healing in acute eczema outbreaks.

Bringing It All Together

To best support eczema naturally, a combination of internal and external herbal strategies can be used alongside dietary and lifestyle tweaks. There really is no one size fits all approach as every individual is different. What is best for you or your child will depend on many different factors.

If you're interested in a personalised herbal protocol to help you or your child with eczema? Head here to book a consultation with me — together we’ll craft a plan to help your skin heal naturally from the inside out.

References:

Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica):

• Shukla, A., Rasik, A. M., & Dhawan, B. N. (1999). Centella asiatica extract treatment increases antioxidant levels in healing skin wounds. Wound Repair and Regeneration, 7(6), 468–475.

• Brinkhaus, B., Lindner, M., Schuppan, D., & Hahn, E. G. (2000). Chemical, pharmacological and clinical profile of the East Asian medical plant Centella asiatica. Phytomedicine, 7(5), 427-448.

Calendula (Calendula officinalis):

• Preethi, K. C., Kuttan, G., & Kuttan, R. (2009). Anti-inflammatory activity of flower extract of Calendula officinalis Linn. and its possible mechanism of action. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology, 47(2), 113-120.

• Della Loggia, R., Tubaro, A., Sosa, S., Becker, H., Saar, S., & Isaac, O. (1994). The role of triterpenoids in the topical anti-inflammatory activity of Calendula officinalis flowers. Planta Medica, 60(6), 516-520.

Chamomile (Matricaria recutita):

• Srivastava, J. K., Shankar, E., & Gupta, S. (2010). Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with a bright future. Molecular Medicine Reports, 3(6), 895-901.

• Albring, M., Albrecht, U., & Alcorn, M. (1983). Effectiveness of chamomile extract cream on atopic eczema: a randomized double-blind trial. European Journal of Medical Research.

Sulforaphane (Broccoli sprouts):

• Juge, N., Mithen, R. F., & Traka, M. (2007). Molecular basis for chemoprevention by sulforaphane: A comprehensive review. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 64(9), 1105–1127.

• Dinkova-Kostova, A. T., Kostov, R. V. (2012). Glucosinolates and isothiocyanates in health and disease. Trends in Molecular Medicine, 18(6), 337-347.

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra):

• Armanini, D., Fiore, C., Mattarello, M. J., Bielenberg, J., & Palermo, M. (2002). History of the endocrine effects of licorice. Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology & Diabetes, 110(6), 257-261.

• Saeedi, M., Morteza-Semnani, K., & Ghoreishi, M. R. (2003). The treatment of atopic dermatitis with licorice gel. Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 14(3), 153-157.

Baical Skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis):

• Li-Weber, M. (2009). New therapeutic aspects of flavones: The anticancer properties of Scutellaria and its main active constituents, wogonin and baicalein. Cancer Treatment Reviews, 35(1), 57-68.

• Zhang, L., Ravipati, A. S., Koyyalamudi, S. R., Jeong, S. C., Reddy, N., Smith, P. T., ... & Wu, M. J. (2011). Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of selected medicinal plants containing phenolic and flavonoid compounds. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 59(23), 12361-12367.

Chickweed (Stellaria media):

• Yarnell, E. (1998). Botanical treatment of psoriasis and eczema. Alternative and Complementary Therapies, 4(4), 200-206.

• Hoffmann, D. (2003). Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Healing Arts Press.