Topical application of a Chinese medicine, Qingpeng ointment, ameliorates 2, 4-dinitrofluorobenzene-induced allergic contact dermatitis in BALB/c mice

Abstract

Qingpeng ointment (QP) is a traditional Chinese medicine which has been used for treatment of eczema in China. However, the mechanisms of its anti-inflammatory activities are not known. To assess the anti-inflammatory effects of QP using a mouse model of allergic contact dermatitis, compare the effects with mometasone furoate cream (MF), and to relate the effects to modulation of inflammatory cytokines. Persistent dermatitis was induced in BALB/c mice using dinitrofluorobenzene. Topical treatment, including the vehicle of QP, 50%, 75%, 100% QP in vehicle, and MF was applied for 14 days. Dermatitis was evaluated macroscopically and microscopically at day 8 and day 15 after treatment. The levels of IL1B, IL2, TNFA, IFNG in both sera and skin tissue were detected with Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Significant reductions of skin inflammation in mice skin were observed after treatment with QP and MF, but not with the vehicle of QP. Similar to MF, QP also suppressed the expression of IL1B, IL2, TNFA and IFNG. This study demonstrates that QP inhibits allergic contact dermatitis in mice, similar to MF. QP suppresses the expression of Th1 cytokines in both sera and skin tissue, by which it may exert its anti-inflammatory effects.