We use essential cookies (authentication, your saved goals/stack) by default. With your permission we'll also enable privacy-respecting analytics (Vercel Web Analytics, anonymous load-time metrics) and error-replay diagnostics (Sentry — DOM snapshots only when an error fires) so we can fix bugs faster. Learn more about cookies
Aln4.0
Allantoin (topical) Research
Mostly mechanism / observationalHigh safety
5 peer-reviewed studies
What the evidence says
Mostly mechanism / observational
Most Allantoin (topical) studies are mechanism or observational rather than RCTs that measure a clinical effect — keep findings provisional.
Most evidence is from mixed-quality randomised trials published 2016–2020 with a typical study size of 50 participants.
Based on 5 studies · 3 RCTs · 206 total participants
Confidence
Moderate
By outcome
Wound & ulcer healing
Mostly mechanism / observational3 studies
Older research base
Newest study from 2020
20162020
1Systematic Review2017
There was no strong evidence that indicates differences between topical pharmacological interventions or non-pharmacological topical controls in the prevention of acute radiation dermatitis among patients with head and neck cancer undergoing radiotherapy.
Ferreira EB, Vasques CI, Gadia R, Chan RJ, Guerra EN, Mezzomo LA, De Luca Canto G, Dos Reis PE. · Support Care Cancer (2017)
Systematic review of 13 RCTs of topical agents (including allantoin, trolamine, dexpanthenol, aloe vera) for preventing radiation dermatitis
Found no strong evidence that any topical pharmacological intervention, allantoin included, outperformed controls or placebo
Tempers claims of a robust soothing/protective benefit for topical allantoin in inflamed skin — the key counter-evidence
The use of an experimental gel containing chlorhexidine, chitosan, allantoine and dexpanthenol seems to significantly reduce postoperative pain, trismus and signs of inflammation.
Sáez-Alcaide LM, Molinero-Mourelle P, González-Serrano J, Rubio-Alonso L, Bornstein MM, López-Quiles J. · Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal (2020)
Split-mouth, double-blind, placebo-controlled RCT (n=36, 72 teeth); gel contained 0.15% allantoin with chlorhexidine, chitosan, and dexpanthenol
Trismus and swelling were significantly less with the gel; wound healing was 'good' in 97.2% vs 22.2% for placebo (p<0.001)
Soothing/anti-inflammatory benefit attaches to the multi-ingredient formulation, not isolated allantoin
The gel composed of chitosan, 0.2% chlorhexidine, allantoin and dexpanthenol did not aid in patients' postoperative comfort; however, improved wound healing was observed.
Madrazo-Jiménez M, Rodríguez-Caballero Á, Serrera-Figallo MÁ, Garrido-Serrano R, Gutiérrez-Corrales A, Gutiérrez-Pérez JL, Torres-Lagares D. · Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal (2016)
Split-mouth randomized trial (n=50 extractions): allantoin-containing gel applied 3x/day for 10 days vs no gel
Wound aesthetic appearance was significantly better in the gel group at day 7 (p=0.001) and day 14 (p=0.01)
No significant difference in swelling or pain; allantoin's individual contribution can't be separated from the other actives
Significant reductions were observed in the vascularity, pigmentation and height subgroups of the VSS for those in the group who continued the treatment to 24 weeks.
Güngör ES, Güzel D, Zebitay AG, İlhan G, Verit FF. · J Wound Care (2020)
Randomized study (n=120) of an onion-extract + allantoin + heparin gel for 6 months vs no treatment on hypertrophic C-section scars
Treatment significantly reduced Vancouver Scar Scale vascularity, pigmentation, and height at 24 weeks
A fixed combination product — allantoin is not tested alone; benefit is modest and formulation-level
An in vitro scratch assay confirmed the healing activity of tracheloside (more than 2-fold increased healing activity after 24 hours of treatment compared with the control) and revealed that this activity is better than that of allantoin (1.2-fold increased after 24 hours of treatment compared with the control), a positive control.
Kim J, Shin YK, Kim KY. · Evid Based Complement Alternat Med (2018)
In-vitro HaCaT keratinocyte scratch-wound assay using allantoin as the established positive control for wound-healing activity
Allantoin produced a measurable but modest 1.2-fold increase in healing activity vs control at 24 hours
Supports a plausible cell-proliferation mechanism, but the small effect underscores allantoin's modest intrinsic potency