title: Anti-inflammatory effects of Cryptotympana atrata Fabricius slough shed on contact dermatitis induced by dinitrofluorobenzene in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The slough shed of Cryptotympana atrata Fabricius is widely used to treat skin diseases in China, Japan, and Korea.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of C. atrata on contact dermatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the effects of C. atrata methanol extract (MECA) on ear swelling, histophathological changes and cytokine production in 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced contact dermatitis (CD) mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Topical application of MECA effectively inhibited enlargement of ear swelling (30 and 100 μ/ear, P < 0.05; 300 μg/ear, P < 0.01). MECA treatment also inhibited hyperplasia, spongiosis (100 and 300 μg/ear, P < 0.001), and immune cell infiltration (30 μg/ear, P < 0.05; 100 and 300 μg/ear, P < 0.001) induced by DNFB. In addition, treatment with MECA suppressed the increase in the levels of TNF-α (P < 0.05), IFN-g (3, 100 μg/ear, P < 0.05; 300 μg/ear, P < 0.01), and IL-6 (100 μg/ear, P < 0.05; 300 μg/ear, P < 0.01) production.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that MECA has the potential for use in the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases, including CD. Moreover, the results presented herein indicate that anti-inflammatory actions of MECA are mediated by decreasing production of TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-6 in inflamed tissues.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Gyeongnam, South Korea.
authors.forename: Miyoung
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Gyeongnam, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Gyeongnam, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jeonghyun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Gyeongnam, South Korea.
authors.forename: Suzy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.affiliation: Department of Herbology, College of Korean Medicine, Wonkwang University, Jeonbuk, South Korea.
authors.forename: Guemsan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, Pusan National University, Gyeongnam, South Korea.
authors.forename: Mi Heon
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.affiliation: Department of Herbology, College of Korean Medicine, Wonkwang University, Jeonbuk, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hyungwoo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Gyeongnam, South Korea.
authors.forename: Su In
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Cho
keywords: Cryptotympana atrata; contact dermatitis; inflammation; traditional Chinese medicine