Nat Prod Sci.  2019 Sep;25(3):261-267. 10.20307/nps.2019.25.3.261.

Dioscorea japonica Thunb. Ethanolic Extract Attenuated Oxazolone-Induced Atopic Dermatitis-like Skin Lesions in BALB/c Mice

Affiliations
  • 1College of Pharmacy, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Korea. mhyang@pusan.ac.kr
  • 2Natural Products Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung 25451, Korea. snkim@kist.re.kr

Abstract

The rhizomes of Dioscorea japonica Thunb. are widely consumed as food and also used to treat diabetes and polyuria in Korea. This study was undertaken to study the anti-atopic dermatitis effects of a 95% ethanolic extract (DJE) of D. japonica in an oxazolone-stimulated murine model of atopic dermatitis (AD). The therapeutic effects of DJE on AD-like skin lesions were assessed on both ears. DJE (1%) or dexamethasone (0.5%; the positive control) were applied to skin lesions for three weeks. Serum levels of IgE and IL-4 were assessed by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). Histopathological examinations were performed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and toluidine blue staining and revealed DJE significantly reduced dermal thickness and inflammatory cell infiltration when applied to oxazolone-treated ear skin. DJE-treated AD mice also showed lower serum levels of IgE and IL-4 than oxazolone-stimulated controls. Our findings demonstrate DJE might be a useful safe, topical agent for the treatment of atopic diseases.

Keyword

Dioscorea japonica Thunb.; Atopic dermatitis; Oxazolone; Interleukin 4

MeSH Terms

Animals
Dermatitis
Dermatitis, Atopic
Dexamethasone
Dioscorea*
Ear
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Eosine Yellowish-(YS)
Ethanol*
Hematoxylin
Immunoglobulin E
Interleukin-4
Korea
Mice*
Oxazolone
Polyuria
Rhizome
Skin*
Therapeutic Uses
Tolonium Chloride
Dexamethasone
Eosine Yellowish-(YS)
Ethanol
Hematoxylin
Immunoglobulin E
Interleukin-4
Oxazolone
Therapeutic Uses
Tolonium Chloride

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Effects of the 95% ethanolic extract of Dioscorea japonica rhizomes (DJE) on the development of oxazolone-induced AD-like skin lesions on the ears of BALB/c mice. (a) Schematic of the experiment; (b) clinical features of oxazolone-induced AD-like skin symptoms; (c) changes in ear thicknesses. Results are presented as the means ± standard errors (n = 7) of two independent experiments. #P < 0.05 vs. the CON group; *P < 0.05 vs. the oxazolone group. CON: vehicle control group, oxazolone: oxazolone-treated group, oxazolone/dexa: oxazolone and 0.5% dexamethasone-treated group, oxazolone/DJE: oxazolone and 1% DJE-treated group.

  • Fig. 2 Effects of DJE on histopathological change and epidermal thicknesses in oxazolone-sensitized BALB/c mice ears. (a) Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining; (b) epidermal thicknesses. Results are presented as the means ± standard errors (n = 7) of two independent experiments. #P < 0.05 vs. the CON group; *P < 0.05 vs. the oxazolone group. DJE: 95% ethanolic extract of Dioscorea japonica rhizomes, CON: vehicle control group, oxazolone: oxazolone-treated group, oxazolone-dexa: oxazolone and 0.5% dexamethasone-treated group, oxazolone-DJE: oxazolone and 1% DJE-treated group.

  • Fig. 3 Effects of DJE on oxazolone-induced histopathological changes and mast cell numbers in mouse ear skin. (a) toluidine blue staining; (b) mast cell numbers. Results are presented as the means ± standard errors (n = 7) of two independent experiments. #P < 0.05 vs. the CON group; *P < 0.05 vs. the oxazolone group. DJE: 95% ethanolic extract of Dioscorea japonica rhizomes, CON: vehicle control group, oxazolone: oxazolone-treated group, oxazolone-dexa: oxazolone and 0.5% dexamethasone-treated group, oxazolone-DJE: oxazolone and 1% DJE-treated group.

  • Fig. 4 Effects of DJE on total serum IgE and IL-4 levels in oxazolone-sensitized BALB/c mice ears. (a) total serum IgE concentration; (b) total serum IL-4 concentration. Results are presented as the means ± standard errors (n = 7) of two independent experiments. #P < 0.05 vs. the CON group; *P < 0.05 vs. the oxazolone group. DJE: 95% ethanolic extract of Dioscorea japonica rhizomes, CON: vehicle control group, oxazolone: oxazolone-treated group, oxazolone-dexa: oxazolone and 0.5% dexamethasone-treated group, oxazolone-DJE: oxazolone and 1% DJE-treated group.

  • Fig. 5 Phytochemical characterization of the 95% ethanolic extract of Dioscorea japonica rhizomes (DJE). (a): HPLC/MS chromatogram of DJE; (b): Structures of dioscin (1) and gracillin (2).


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