title: [Effect and mechanisms of rutaecarpine on treating atopic dermatitis in mice].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of Rutaecarpine on the treatment of atopic dermatitis in mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  DNCB was repeatedly applied on the back of NC/Nga mice to establish the animal model of atopic dermatitis. The mice without and with treatments with various does of Rutaecarpine were compared. Atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions were evaluated by skin histopathology and immunological parameters. The plasma IL-4, IgE and IFN-gamma were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Topical DNCB induced eczematous dermatitis in Nc/Nga mice. The animal model of atopic dermatitis had higher levels of plasma IgE than the normal mice [(124.42 +/- 11.14) ng/mL vs. (17.22 +/- 3.56) ng/mL, P < 0.05]. The animal model of atopic dermatitis treated with Rutaecarpine had higher levels of plasma IFN-gamma level [(68.29 +/- 1.39) pg/mL] than those without treatment [(51.23 +/- 11.45) pg/mL]. The animal model of atopic dermatitis treated with Rutaecarpine had lower levels of plasma IL-4 and IgE [(72.11 +/- 2.13) pg/mL and (69.17 +/- 4.15) ng/mL, respectively] than those without treatment [(95.49 +/- 6.32) pg/mL and (124.42 +/- 11.14) ng/mL, respectively, P < 0.05]. No significant differences in plasma levels of IL-4, IFN-gamma and IgE were found between the mice treated with Rutaecarpine and those treated with Dexamethasone Acetate Cream [(76.14 +/- 3.63) pg/mL, (64.12 +/- 1.19) pg/mL, and (68.17 +/- 1.15) ng/mL, respectively, P > 0.05].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The therapeutic effect of Rutaecarpine on atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions may be taken through inhibiting IgE and IL-4 synthesis and promoting the secretion of IFN-gamma.
authors.affiliation: Animal Laboatory, the Second Xiangya Hospital of the Central South University, Changsha 410011, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Ya-nan
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Gui-ying
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood; D026121:Indole Alkaloids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D052999:Quinazolinones
chemical_list: D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D026121:Indole Alkaloids; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D015847:Interleukin-4; D011799:Quinazolines; C028632:rutecarpine; D052999:Quinazolinones