Therapeutic action of Kushen recipe extractive and its inhibitory effect on eotaxin in mouse models with contact dermatitis

Abstract

Background: Treatment of skin allergic diseases remains a challenging research topic. Objective: To investigate the effect of Kushen recipe extractive (KS) gel on contact dermatitis (CD) of mouse. Methods: Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) model of mouse was established. Immuno­ histochemical method (ICH) and flow cytometry method (FCM) were used to detect CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes and explore the regulation effect of KS on the immune status of the organism. The expression status of eotaxin tissue was evaluated by real­time polymerase chain reaction (RT­PCR), ICH, and western blotting method. The survival rates of HaCaT cell and Fibroblasts affected by KS were detected by methylthiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) method. The inhibitory effect of KS on eotaxin produced by HaCaT cell and FBs induced by TNF-α and interleukin (IL)­4 were evaluated using RT­PCR and enzyme­linked immunosorbent assay methods. The inhibitory effect of KS on nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and Signal transducers and activators of transcription 6 (STAT6) activation induced by TNF-α and IL-4 was detected by electrophoretic mobility shift assay and western blotting methods. Results: We confirmed that KS shows favorable therapeutic effect on CD, which can obviously inhibit eotaxin expression and Eosinophils recruitment in allergic skin of mouse, as well as regulate the immune status of the organism. Furthermore, KS and its main effective compo­ nents can inhibit TNF-α and IL-4 induced upregulation of eotaxin via the two signal transduc­tion pathways, NF-κB and STAT6. Conclusions: The great importance of traditional Chinese recipe KS is evidenced by its thera­peutic effect and mechanism in ACD of mouse.