title: Corticosteroids are not present in a traditional Chinese medicine formulation for atopic dermatitis in children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used as an alternative in treating children with atopic dermatitis (AD) but its efficacy and potential side effects are debatable. We recently used a TCM capsule (PentaHerbs) on 9 children and observed significant reductions in clinical scores of disease severity. However, there have been concerns that the therapeutic effects of many forms of TCM are due to the presence of corticosteroids. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if common corticosteroids are present in PentaHerbs capsules.
  
  
  METHODS
  PentaHerbs powder was analysed with thin-layer chromatography, infra-red spectrophotometry and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hydrocortisone, prednisolone, fludrocortisone and dexamethasone were not detected in the PentaHerbs capsules.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Corticosteroids are not present in the 5 familiar herbs that were earlier shown to have efficacy on AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China. ehon@cuhk.edu.hk
authors.forename: Kam Lun E
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Hon
authors.forename: Vivian W Y
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ting-Fan
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: Kenneth K C
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Andrew K W
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Tai-Fai
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Fok
authors.forename: Ping-Chung
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Leung
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005938:Glucocorticoids