Effects of Bambusae caulis in Liquamen on the development of atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions in hairless mice.
BACKGROUND
Bambusae caulis in Liquamen (BCL) is a nutritious liquid extracted from heat-treated fresh bamboo stems. It is an important traditional herbal medicine used to treat coughs and asthma in East Asia. In recent years, it has been studied for its anti-inflammatory, anti-allergenic, and immune-regulating properties.


OBJECTIVE
To examine whether BCL suppresses the development of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced atopic dermatitis (AD)-like skin lesions in hairless mice.


METHODS
The effects of BCL were analyzed by measuring transepidermal water loss (TEWL), melanin content, and erythema in the skin, leukocyte numbers and IgE levels in the serum, and mRNA expression of relevant cytokines in the spleen.


RESULTS
The transdermal administration of BCL to hairless mice inhibited the development of DNCB-induced AD-like skin lesions by suppressing TEWL, melanin production and erythema of skin, the number of leukocytes and the level of IgE in serum, and the mRNA expression of IL-4, IL-13, and TNF-alpha in the spleen. However, BCL administration increased the expression of IFN-gamma in the spleen.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate that BCL suppresses the development of DNCB-induced AD-like skin lesions in hairless mice, suggesting that BCL may be a potential therapeutic agent for AD in a clinical setting.
Department of Environmental Medical Biology, Wonju College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju, Gangwon 220-701, Republic of Korea.
Xu-Feng
XF
Qi
Dong-Heui
DH
Kim
Yang-Suk
YS
Yoon
Jian-Hong
JH
Li
Dan
D
Jin
Young-Kun
YK
Deung
Kyu-Jae
KJ
Lee
D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D031723:Bambusa / Q000737:chemistry*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004137:Dinitrochlorobenzene; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004890:Erythema / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D008518:Medicine, East Asian Traditional; D008543:Melanins / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008812:Mice, Hairless; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018547:Plant Stems; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D004137:Dinitrochlorobenzene; D008543:Melanins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D007073:Immunoglobulin E