title: Genuine traditional Korean medicine, Naju Jjok (Chung-Dae, Polygonum tinctorium) improves 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene-induced atopic dermatitis-like lesional skin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Naju Jjok (NJJ, Polygonum tinctorium) is a clear heat and release toxin medicinal. It has been used to treat various inflammatory diseases and as a dye in clothing in traditional Korean medicine. However, the effect of NJJ on atopic dermatitis (AD) has not been elucidated. Therefore, we examined whether NJJ would have an inhibitory effect on AD using the mimic AD murine model and in vitro model.
  
  
  METHODS
  We treated NJJ on 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced AD-like skin lesions in NC/Nga mice, phorbol myristate acetate/calcium ionophore A23187-stimulated human mast cell line (HMC-1) cells, and anti-CD3/anti-CD28-stimulated splenocytes. Histological analysis, ELISA, PCR, and Western blot analysis were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The oral administration with NJJ suppressed the total clinical severity in DNFB-induced AD-like lesional skin. NJJ significantly suppressed the levels of inflammatory mRNA and protein in AD-like lesional skin. NJJ significantly suppressed the levels of IgE and interleukin-4 in the serum of DNFB-induced AD mice. The expression of mast cells-derived caspase-1 was suppressed by NJJ in AD-like lesional skin. In addition, topical application with NJJ improved clinical symptoms in DNFB-induced AD mice. The topical application with NJJ significantly suppressed the levels of IgE and histamine in the serum of DNFB-induced AD mice. NJJ suppressed the production and mRNA expression of TSLP by blockade of caspase-1 signal pathway in the activated HMC-1 cells. Furthermore, NJJ significantly decreased the production of tumor necrosis factor-α from the stimulated splenocytes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, these results propose curative potential of natural dye, NJJ by showing the scientific evidence on anti-AD effect of NJJ which has been used traditionally.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Na-Ra
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Woo
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Phil-Dong
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.affiliation: Regional Innovation Center and Inflammatory Disease Research Center, Hoseo University, 165, Sechul-ri, Baebang-myun, Asan, Chungnam 336-795, Republic of Korea; Biochip Research Center and Inflammatory Disease Research Center, Hoseo University, Asan, Chungnam 336-795, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Bum
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: hmkim@khu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Hyung-Min
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Biochip Research Center and Inflammatory Disease Research Center, Hoseo University, Asan, Chungnam 336-795, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: hjjeong@hoseo.edu.
authors.forename: Hyun-Ja
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Jeong
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000001:Calcimycin; D020170:Caspase 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D004139:Dinitrofluorobenzene; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055670:Medicine, Korean Traditional; D051379:Mice; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D028502:Polygonum; D053475:Receptor-Interacting Protein Serine-Threonine Kinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D000094632:Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000001:Calcimycin; D004139:Dinitrofluorobenzene; C506253:RIPK2 protein, human; D053475:Receptor-Interacting Protein Serine-Threonine Kinase 2; D020170:Caspase 1; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate; D000094632:Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin
keywords: Atopic dermatitis; Caspase-1; Mast cell; NC/Nga mice; Naju Jjok; TSLP