Reversal of BCAA-driven inflammatory senescence by traditional herbal oil prevents atopic dermatitis relapse

  • Phytomedicine. 2025 Oct 20:148:157425. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2025.157425.
Yi Wang  1 ,  Peiyao Wang  1 ,  Shaojie Yuan  1 ,  Xinran Du  1 ,  Ran Yan  1 ,  Xinhe Wang  1 ,  Yue Hu  2 ,  Siyu Pu  1 ,  Yanxi Shen  1 ,  Yuhan Fang  1 ,  Xinyi Zhou  1 ,  Xiaoyan Gao  1 ,  Yanbin Zhang  3 ,  Linyan Cheng  1 ,  Dongjie Guo  1 ,  Yanjuan Duan  4 ,  Hanzhi Lu  5 ,  Jianyong Zhu  6 ,  Fulun Li  7
Affiliations
  • 1. Department of Dermatology, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China.
  • 2. Department of pharmacy Research, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China.
  • 3. Department of TCM, Kong Jiang Hospital of Yangpu District, Shanghai, 200093, China.
  • 4. Department of Dermatology, Seventh people's Hospital of Shanghai University of TCM, Shanghai 200437, China.
  • 5. Department of Dermatology, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 6. Department of pharmacy Research, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 7. Department of Dermatology, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 41161187 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2025.157425
Abstract

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic, relapsing inflammatory skin disease for which effective strategies for achieving sustained remission are lacking. Here, we investigated the efficacy and mechanisms of Liuweirunfu (LWRF) Oil, a traditional Chinese herbal formulation, in preventing AD relapse.

Results: A randomized, controlled clinical trial demonstrated that topical LWRF Oil significantly reduced relapse rates and improved clinical outcomes in AD patients during remission (Chictr.org.cn registration number: ChiCTR2400084762). Metabolomic analysis revealed that LWRF Oil restored the skin metabolome by modulating branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) metabolism. Mechanistically, LWRF Oil reversed inflammatory senescence in a murine AD model by selectively enhancing BCAT1-mediated BCAA catabolism, leading to reduced expression of the senescence marker P21. Furthermore, LWRF Oil modulated Th2 cell responses, dampening their infiltration and activation in the skin.

Conclusions: Our findings indicate that LWRF Oil prevents AD relapse by restoring the skin metabolome, reversing BCAA-driven inflammatory senescence, and modulating Th2 cell responses, suggesting it is a safe and effective approach for long-term AD management.

Keywords
Atopic dermatitis; Bcaa metabolism; Inflammatory senescence; Skin metabolome; Traditional chinese medicine.
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