Eczemaletters

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In vitro and clinical immunomodulatory effects of a novel Pentaherbs concoction for atopic dermatitis.

Br J Dermatol. 2008 Jun;158(6):1216-23

Authors: Leung TF, Wong KY, Wong CK, Fung KP, Lam CW, Fok TF, Leung PC, Hon KL

BACKGROUND: Our group recently reported a randomized and placebo-controlled clinical trial on the efficacy of a twice-daily concoction of five herbal ingredients (Pentaherbs formulation, PHF) in treating children with atopic dermatitis (AD). OBJECTIVES: To investigate the immunomodulatory effects that may be induced by PHF treatment. METHODS: We investigated the effects of PHF on cytotoxicity and proliferation of phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)- and staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB)-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) isolated from buffy coat of blood donors. PHF-induced immunomodulation for five inflammatory mediators in cultured PBMC was measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The effects of a 3-month, open-label study of PHF on circulating inflammatory mediators in children with AD were also assessed. RESULTS: PHF at up to 1 mg mL(-1) dose-dependently suppressed PBMC proliferation. The addition of PHF to cultured PBMC reduced supernatant concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), interferon (IFN)-gamma and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha in response to PHA, and BDNF and thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC) following SEB stimulation. PHF increased epithelial cell-derived neutrophil activating peptide-78 levels in culture supernatants. At the RNA level, PHF suppressed the transcription of BDNF, TARC, IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha. Twenty-eight children with AD were treated with PHF for 3 months, and their mean plasma concentrations of BDNF and TARC decreased significantly from 1798 pg mL(-1) and 824 pg mL(-1) at baseline to 1378 pg mL(-1) and 492 pg mL(-1) (P = 0.002 and 0.013, respectively) upon study completion. CONCLUSIONS: PHF possesses in vitro and in vivo immunomodulatory properties that may mediate the clinical efficacy observed in AD treatment.

PMID: 18341655 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]