title: Gallic Acid Is the Major Active Component of Cortex Moutan in Inhibiting Immune Maturation of Human Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells.
abstract: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a widely prevalent and chronically relapsing inflammatory skin disease. Penta Herbs Formula (PHF) is efficacious in improving the quality of life and reducing topical corticosteroid used in children with AD and one of the active herbs it contains is Cortex Moutan. Recent studies showed that altered functions of dendritic cells (DC) were observed in atopic individuals, suggesting that DC might play a major role in the generation and maintenance of inflammation by their production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Hence, the aims of the present study were to identify the major active component(s) of Cortex Moutan, which might inhibit DC functions and to investigate their possible interactions with conventional corticosteroid on inhibiting the development of DC from monocytes. Monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDC) culture model coupled with the high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC), high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LCMS) analyses were used. Gallic acid was the major active component from Cortex Moutan which could dose dependently inhibit interleukin (IL)-12 p40 and the functional cluster of differentiation (CD) surface markers CD40, CD80, CD83 and CD86 expression from cytokine cocktail-activated moDC. Gallic acid could also lower the concentration of hydrocortisone required to inhibit the activation of DC.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Institute of Chinese Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. benchan99@cuhk.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Ben Chung Lap
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Institute of Chinese Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. garylfli@cuhk.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Long Fei
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Institute of Chinese Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. cellhu@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Shui Qing
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Institute of Chinese Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. cwwong_eric@cuhk.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wat
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Institute of Chinese Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. cwwong_eric@cuhk.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Eric Chun Wai
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Institute of Chinese Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. vanilla2334@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Vanilla Xin
authors.initials: VX
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Institute of Chinese Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. claralau@cuhk.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Clara Bik San
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Institute of Chinese Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. ck-wong@cuhk.edu.hk.|Department of Chemical Pathology, Prince of Wales Hospital, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong, China. ck-wong@cuhk.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Chun Kwok
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Prince of Wales Hospital, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong, China. ehon@cuhk.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Kam Lun Ellis
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Hon
authors.affiliation: Institute of Textiles and Clothing, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China. tchuip@inet.polyu.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Patrick Chi Leung
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Institute of Chinese Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. pingcleung@cuhk.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Ping Chung
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Leung
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005707:Gallic Acid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D029596:Paeonia / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C038881:moutan cortex; D005707:Gallic Acid
keywords: Cortex Moutan; Penta Herb Formula; atopic dermatitis; dendritic cells; gallic acid; high-speed  counter-current chromatography