Abstract

Bamboo salt and egg white-chalcanthite mixture has been prescribed for relieving the inflammation of atopic dermatitis in Hamyang, Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea. This study was conducted to demonstrate the effect of atopic dermatitis on cell and atopic animal models using a combination of bamboo salt with egg white-chalcanthite, which have been used as folk remedies for inflammatory conditions. Based on the in vitro experiment, the 1:20 mixture of egg white-chalcanthite and bamboo salt was shown to inhibit the release of beta-hexosaminidase and histamine in rat basophilic leukemia cell line RBL-2H3 by sensitizing immunoglobulin E and inducing allergic responses by dinitrophenyl as well as the expression of inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory mediators in a dose-dependent manner in lipopolysaccharide-treated mouse macrophage cell line RAW 264.7 cells. Furthermore, egg white-chalcanthite with bamboo salt and its combination at different mixing ratios showed a decrease in inflammatory mediators. Dinitrochlorbenzene was applied to NC/Nga mice for 6 w to induce the atopic in vivo model. After 4 w administration of the test substance, the dermatitis decreased visually and dermal hyperplasia/inflammation, mast cell/eosinophils counts and degree of nerve fiber infiltration were decreased according to histopathological examination. In addition, the secretion rate of interferon gamma in high-dose treated group was lower than that in atopic dermatitis control group. These results show that bamboo salt with egg white-chalcanthite effectively relieves skin inflammation in atopic dermatitis and it might be a promising mineral agent for relieving the symptoms of atopic dermatitis.