Inhibition of 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene-induced atopic dermatitis by topical application of the butanol extract of Cordyceps bassiana in NC/Nga mice.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE The Cordyceps species are insect-borne mushrooms that have been ethnopharmacologically used for skin diseases such as eczema and dermatitis. AIM OF THE STUDY In this study, we investigated the curative effects of the butanol fraction (CBBF) of Cordyceps bassiana on atopic dermatitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS Dermatitis was induced by repeated application of 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) in NC/Nga mice. After a topical application of CBBF on the skin lesions, the dermatitis score, epidermal thickness, mast cell number, and interleukin (IL)-4 and interferon (IFN)-γ, as well as the levels of histamine and immunoglobulin E (IgE) in the serum, were measured. Moreover, effect of CBBF on histamine release was examined using RBL-2H3 under stimulation with 2,4-dinitrophenylated bovine serum albumin (DNP-BSA). RESULTS CBBF inhibited atopic dermatitis symptoms and signs in the DNFB-treated NC/Nga mice. The suppressive activity of topically applied CBBF may be due to the dose-dependent blockade of a series of immunopathological events, including the release of histamine, the production of IgE, and the secretion of IL-4 and IFN-γ. However, this extract did not directly suppress the degranulation process, assessed by measuring β-hexosaminidase release. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that CBBF can be applied as an effective herbal remedy to treat atopic dermatitis.