Inhibitory effects of Camellia sinensis extract on the development of atopic dermatitis-like lesions in NC/Nga mice

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis (AD) syndrome is one of the most common and severe skin diseases in Korea; a large population has this disease. We examined the effects of the extract from the leaf and sprig of Camellia sinensis on the development of AD by using NC mice as a model of atopic dermal it is. Oral administration of the extract to NC/Nga mice treated with 2.4 dinitrochloroben/ene (DNCB) inhibited the development of AD-like skin lesions as shown by a significant decrease in the skin symptoms of the disease and a decrease in ear thickness and levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE) and thymus- and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC) level in the skin. Administration of the extract markedly suppressed the DNCB-induced mRNA expression of interleukin 4 (IL-4) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α). The findings suggest that transdermal application of the extract may modulate in the skin of NC/Nga mice. The extract was effective for the prevention and treatment of AD.