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eCAM Advance Access originally published online on March 23, 2005
eCAM 2005 2(2):191-199; doi:10.1093/ecam/neh077
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© The Author (2005). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.
The online version of this article has been published under an open access model. Users are entitled to use, reproduce, disseminate, or display the open access version of this article for non-commercial purposes provided that: the original authorship is properly and fully attributed; the Journal and Oxford University Press are attributed as the original place of publication with the correct citation details given; if an article is subsequently reproduced or disseminated not in its entirety but only in part or as a derivative work this must be clearly indicated. For commercial re-use, please contact journals.permissions{at}oupjournals.org

Kampo Medicines for Mite Antigen-Induced Allergic Dermatitis in NC/Nga Mice

Xiu Kun Gao, Kazutoshi Fuseda, Tomonori Shibata, Hiroyuki Tanaka, Naoki Inagaki and Hiroichi Nagai*

Department of Pharmacology, Gifu Pharmaceutical University Gifu, Japan

We have established an allergic dermatitis model in NC/Nga mice by repeated local exposure of mite antigen for analyzing atopic dermatitis. We examined how four Kampo medicines, Juzen-taiho-to, Hochu-ekki-to, Shofu-san and Oren-gedoku-to, on the dermatitis model to obtain basic information on their usefulness for treating atopic dermatitis. Mite antigen (Dermatophagoides farinae crude extract) solution at a concentration of 10 mg/ml was painted on the ear of NC/Nga mice after tape stripping. The procedure was repeated five times, at 7 day intervals. An apparent biphasic ear swelling was caused after the fourth and fifth antigen exposures with elevated serum IgE levels and accumulation of inflammatory cells. In the cervical lymph nodes and ear lobes, the five procedures of antigen exposure induced interleukin-4 mRNA expression but reduced interferon-{gamma} mRNA expression. Oral administration of all four Kampo medicines inhibited the formation of ear swelling and inflammatory cell accumulation. Juzen-taiho-to and Hochu-ekki-to apparently prevented the elevation of serum IgE level. Furthermore, the four Kampo medicines showed a tendency to prevent not only the increase in interleukin-4 mRNA expression but also the decrease in interferon-{gamma} mRNA expression. The present results indicate that Juzen-taiho-to, Hochu-ekki-to, Shofu-san and Oren-gedoku-to may correct the Th1/Th2 balance skewed to Th2, and this activity helps inhibit dermatitis in NC/Nga mice. The ability of the Kampo medicines to correct the Th1/Th2 balance seems to underlie their effectiveness in treating of atopic dermatitis.

Keywords: herbal medicine – IgE – Th1/Th2 balance

*For reprints and all correspondence: Dr Hiroichi Nagai, Department of Pharmacology, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, 5-6-1 Mitahorahigashi, Gifu 502-8585, Japan. Tel/Fax: +81-58-237-8584; E-mail: nagai{at}gifu-pu.ac.jp


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