Anti-inflammatory Effects of Ampelopsis Japonica Root on Contact Dermatitis in Mice / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the anti-inflammatory potential of Ampelopsis japonica on contact dermatitis (CD).@*METHODS@#A total of 38 Balb/c mice were divided into 5 groups by using a random number table: normal mice (n=6), CD model mice (n=8), CD mice treated with 3 or 30 mg/kg of the ethanol extract of A. japonica (EEAJ, n=8) and 7.5 mg/kg dexamethasone treated CD mice (DEX, n=8). CD was induced using topical application of 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene in mice. EEAJ and DEX were topically applied to the shaved skin of each mouse for 6 days, and the effects of EEAJ and DEX on skin lesions and color, histopathological abnormalities such as epidermal hyperplasia and immune cell infiltration, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) production were investigated. The effects on changes in body weights and spleen/body weight ratio were also investigated.@*RESULTS@#EEAJ at 30 mg/kg significantly prevented scaling, erythema and enlargement of skin weight compared to using carbon dioxide. EEAJ also prevented epithelial hyperplasia and immune cell infiltrations induced by repeated application of DNFB (P<0.01). In addition, EEAJ significantly lowered levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and MCP-1 (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The anti-inflammatory effects of EEAJ were similar to those of DEX.@*CONCLUSION@#A. japonica may be a new therapeutic agent with the potential to reduce or replace corticosteroids and its mechanisms are closely related to regulation of TNF-α production.

Poikilodermatous changes on the forearms of a woman practicing aroma-therapy: extracervical poikiloderma of Civatte?

We report the case of a 48-year-old, Caucasian female who presented with slowly progressing asymptomatic poikilodermatous changes of the extensor aspects of the forearms. She also had typical Poikiloderma of Civatte on the V of the neck and erythemato-telangiectatic rosacea of the central face. The patient had been practicing aroma-therapy for many years. Histologic examination revealed findings consistent with PC. Patch-testing revealed positive reactions to Fragrance mix and Nickel sulphate. Based on clinical and histological findings, a diagnosis of extracervical PC was suggested. PC with extra-cervical or extra-facial involvement is rare. In addition, this case supports the theory that contact sensitization to fragrances may contribute to the development of PC.

Compensation for Occupational Skin Diseases

The Korean list of occupational skin diseases was amended in July 2013. The past list was constructed according to the causative agent and the target organ, and the items of that list had not been reviewed for a long period. The revised list was reconstructed to include diseases classified by the International Classification of Diseases (10th version). Therefore, the items of compensable occupational skin diseases in the amended list in Korea comprise contact dermatitis; chemical burns; Stevens-Johnson syndrome; tar-related skin diseases; infectious skin diseases; skin injury-induced cellulitis; and skin conditions resulting from physical factors such as heat, cold, sun exposure, and ionized radiation. This list will be more practical and convenient for physicians and workers because it follows a disease-based approach. The revised list is in accordance with the International Labor Organization list and is refined according to Korean worker's compensation and the actual occurrence of occupational skin diseases. However, this revised list does not perfectly reflect the actual status of skin diseases because of the few cases of occupational skin diseases, incomplete statistics of skin diseases, and insufficient scientific evidence. Thus, the list of occupational diseases should be modified periodically on the basis of recent evidence and statistics.

Pattern of contact dermatitis in a tertiary level hospital in Bangladesh

To evaluate the pattern of contact dermatitis [CD] among patients in a tertiary care hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh. In this cross-sectional study, 120 patients of contact dermatitis, diagnosed clinically were evaluated by detail history and clinical examination. The clinical patterns were correlated with the likely sources of allergens. Mean age was 32.8 +/- 14.0 years and majority of the patients were housewives 36 [30.0%] and students 33 [27.5%]. 60.0% of the patients came from low-middle class. Itching 117 [97.5%] and disfigurement 89 [74.2%] were chief complaints of the patients. 63 [52.5%] patients showed erythematous rash, 42 [35%] vesicular eruption, 34 [28.3%] pustular eruption and 16 [13.3%] post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Both hands 69 [57.5%], right hand 41 [34.2%], both feet 50 [41.7], neck and ear 42 [35%] and face 30 [25.0%] were the commonly involved sites. Allergic contact dermatitis [52.5%] was more common than photocontact CD [26.7%] and irritant CD [20.8%]. Regarding the source of contact dermatitis, detergents 88 [73.3%], cooking materials 67 [55.8%], shoes or sandals 61 [50.8%], cosmetics 42 [35%], gold/jewellery 38 [31.7%], insects 29 [24.2%] were the main etiological factors of contact dermatitis. The study highlighted that contact dermatitis depends on patients' occupational exposure of different substances.

Oral lichen planus versus oral lichenoid reaction: Difficulties in the diagnosis.

Lichen planus (LP) is a mucocutaneous disease with well-established clinical and microscopic features. The oral mucosa and skin may present clinical and microscopic alterations similar to those observed in LP, called lichenoid reactions (LRs), which are triggered by systemic or topical etiological agents. The difficulties faced to establish the differential diagnosis between the two pathologies were investigated in the literature. It was observed that the etiology of LP is still under discussion, with a tendency to self-immunity, while the etiology of LRs is related to the contact with specific agents, such as metallic restorative materials, resins, and drugs, allowing the establishment of a cause-effect relationship. In this case, the disease is caused by the antigen fixation in the epithelial cells, which are destructed by the immune system. Based on these data, protocols are suggested for this differentiation. The important role played by the integration between the clinician and the oral pathologist in the diagnostic process is highlighted. The treatment of LP comprises mainly the utilization of corticosteroids and the LR is treated by removal of the causal factor. Differentiation between the two diseases allows an effective and correct therapeutic approach.

Rubber contact dermatitis in patients attended at Walter Cantidio Hospital, Federal University of Ceara, Brasil

Atualmente, 70 por cento do suprimento mundial de borracha e sintetizado artificialmente. O processo envolvido em sua manufatura e a vulcanizaçäo que requer muitas substâncias químicas para aceleraçäo do processo, como antioxidantes para prevenir a deterioraçäo da borracha ou outros. Estas substancias podem ter potencial sensibilizante tornando-se responsaveis por afeccoes dermatologicas, principalmente dermatite de contato. O objetivo deste estudo e pesquisar os principais sensibilizantes dentre os componentes da borracha numa populaçäo predominantemente feminina num Pais Tropical e comparar os resultados com os obtidos em estudos previos que testaram populaçöes predominantemente masculina em climas diferentes

Inflammatory cutaneous reaction induced by the lectin of Dioclea grandiflora (Mart.)

The lectin from Dioclea grandiflora (Mart.) that selectively binds glucose and mannose, when subcutaneously injected in mouse induces an inflammatory cutaneous reaction whose histological analysis reveals an hemorrhagic ulceration with exudative reaction accompanied by an influx of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and giant cells. The presence of lymphocytes and plasma cells in the lesion was insignificant. In order to characterize the in vivo action of inflammatory factors generated by this lesion, distinct lines of mice were used: high and low antibody responder mice; the genetically selected mice to the acute phase of inflammatory reaction; lines of mice deficient in C5, a protein of the complement system. It is shown that the lectin of D. grandiflora acts as an inflammatory agent probably promoting exocytosis and release of mediators