2. Academic Validation
  3. Evaluation of the Anti-Atopic Dermatitis Effects of α-Boswellic Acid on Tnf-α/Ifn-γ-Stimulated HaCat Cells and DNCB-Induced BALB/c Mice

Evaluation of the Anti-Atopic Dermatitis Effects of α-Boswellic Acid on Tnf-α/Ifn-γ-Stimulated HaCat Cells and DNCB-Induced BALB/c Mice

  • Int J Mol Sci. 2022 Aug 30;23(17):9863. doi: 10.3390/ijms23179863.
Ya-Chu Tsai 1 2,  Hsun-Hao Chang 3,  Sheng-Chieh Chou 4 5,  Thomas W Chu 1 6,  Yu-Jou Hsu 7,  Chien-Yu Hsiao 8,  Yuan-Hsin Lo 9,  Nan-Lin Wu 10,  Der-Chen Chang 11,  Chi-Feng Hung 2 5 12
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Dermatology, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City 220, Taiwan.
  • 2 School of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City 242, Taiwan.
  • 3 Department of Cardiology, Tainan Municipal Hospital (Managed by Show Chwan Medical Care Corporation), Tainan City 701, Taiwan.
  • 4 Department of Surgery, Taoyuan Armed Force General Hospital, Taoyuan City 325, Taiwan.
  • 5 Department of Surgery, Taoyuan Armed Force General Hospital Hsinchu Branch, Hainchu City 300, Taiwan.
  • 6 Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA 23507, USA.
  • 7 Graduate Institute of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Science, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City 242, Taiwan.
  • 8 Research Center for Food and Cosmetic Safety, Research Center for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan.
  • 9 Department of Dermatology, Fu Jen Catholic University Hospital, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City 242, Taiwan.
  • 10 Department of Dermatology, MacKay Memorial Hospital, Taipei 104, Taiwan.
  • 11 Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Department of Computer Science, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA.
  • 12 School of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
PMID: 36077254 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23179863
Abstract

Boswellic acids, triterpenoids derived from the genus Boswellia (Burseraceae), are known for their anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor efficacy. Atopic dermatitis is a chronic, non-infectious inflammatory skin disease. However, the effects of α-boswellic acid on atopic dermatitis have not been studied. Therefore, in this study we examined the expression level of pro-inflammatory cytokines, histopathological analysis, and physiological data from BALB/c mice with atopic-like dermatitis induced by 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene and TNF-α/IFN-γ-stimulated HaCaT cells to better understand the agent's anti-atopic dermatitis efficacy. First, we found that α-boswellic reduced the epidermal thickening, mast cell numbers, and dermal infiltration of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene-induced atopic-like dermatitis in BALB/c mice. Furthermore, we also found that α-boswellic acid can restore transepidermal water loss and skin reddening in mice. In human keratinocytes inflamed by TNF-α/IFN-γ, α-boswellic acid inhibited MAP kinase activation and showed a reduction in NF-κB nuclear translocation. Finally, α-boswellic acid can reduce the expression level of cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8) following the stimulation of TNF-α/IFN-γ in HaCaT cells. Taken together, our study suggests that α-boswellic acids are a potential component for the development of anti-atopic dermatitis drugs.

Keywords

TNF-α/IFN-γ; atopic dermatitis; boswellic acid; cytokine; dinitrochlorobenzene; nature product.

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