Use of probiotics in atopic dermatitis

SUMMARY Atopic dermatitis is a common skin disease. Its increased incidence has changed the focus of research on atopic dermatitis toward epidemiology, prevention, and treatment. Evidence suggests that intestinal microbiota plays an important role in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis inducing immunosuppression, but its exact mechanism is still unclear. Probiotics have been widely reported to act on the immune system. They are living microorganisms with immunomodulatory effects that stimulate Th1 cytokines and suppress the Th2 response, which are being researched for the treatment of several diseases. Probiotics most commonly used are part of the intestinal microflora like lactobacilli, bifidobacteria, and enterococci. We describe here a case of evident response to the use of probiotics in a girl with severe atopic dermatitis, with a significant change in severity scores of atopic dermatitis (BSA/SCORAD/FDLQI). Modulation of the intestinal microbiota with probiotics may offer a way to prevent or treat allergic diseases, including atopic dermatitis.

RESUMO A dermatite atópica é uma doença de pele comum. O aumento da incidência mudou o foco da pesquisa em dermatite atópica para epidemiología, prevenção e tratamento. Evidências sugerem que a microbiota intestinal desempenha um papel importante na patogênese da dermatite atópica, induzindo imunossupressão, mas o mecanismo exato ainda não está claro. Os probióticos foram amplamente divulgados para atuar no sistema imunológico. Eles são microrganismos vivos com efeitos imunomoduladores que estimulam as citocinas Th1 e suprimem a resposta Th2 que vem sendo pesquisada para o tratamento de diversas doenças. Probióticos mais comumente usados são parte da microflora intestinal como lactobacilos, bifidobactérias e enterococos. Descrevemos um caso de resposta evidente ao uso de probióticos em uma menina com dermatite atópica grave, com grande alteração nos escores de gravidade da dermatite atópica (BSA/Scorad/FDLQI). A modulação da microbiota intestinal com probióticos pode oferecer uma maneira de prevenir ou tratar doenças alérgicas, incluindo a dermatite atópica.

Serum Eotaxin and Interleukin-13 Level in Patients with Allergic Rhinitis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Eosinophils play a central role in the development of allergic diseases, including asthma, nasal allergy, and atopic dermatitis. Eosinophil migration in vivo is regulated by many cytokines and chemokines. Eotaxin has multifaceted effects on eosinophils and is a key mediator in the development of tissue eosinophilia, and interleukin (IL)- 13 causes surface expression of vascula r cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) on endothelial cells and may be important in eosinophilic inflammation in the nasal mucosa. We investigated whether serum eotaxin and IL-13 levels are elevated in allergic rhinitis and drew a correlation with the blood eosinophil counts, serum total IgE, and nasal allergic symptoms in patients with allergic rhinitis. Materials and Methods: Serum eotaxin and IL-13, blood eosinophils, total IgE, and symptom scores were measured in 30 patients with allergic rhinitis, 20 patients with non-allergic rhinitis, and 20 normal control subjects. RESULTS: The serum eotaxin concentration was significantly higher in the allergic rhinitis group than in the non-allergic rhinitis and normal control group (p<0.01, p<0.01). The serum eotaxin concentration was significantly correlated with the peripheral blood eosinophil counts in the allergic rhinitis group. But serum IL-13 concentration in the allergic rhinitis group was not higher than the other groups, and did not correlate with the blood eosinophil counts. CONCLUSION: Although further investigations will be necessary, evaluation of the serum eotaxin level in allergic rhinitis will provide better understanding of the mechanism involved in allergic tissue eosinophilia.

Suppressive effect of Chuankezhi (CKZ) injection on murineal lergic contact dermatitis / 中国病理生理杂志

AIM: To study the suppressive effect of c hu ankezhi (CKZ) injection, a Chinese medicine, on murine allergic contact dermatit is (type IV hypersensitivity). METHODS: Mice were divided into 6 groups according to different medicine treatments: CKZ high, middle, low dose ( CKZⅠ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ) groups, dexamethasone(DEX), benadryl and saline groups. Murine alle rgic contact dermatitis was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 2, 4-dinitro fluorobenzene. Different medicines were administrated at 2 h before sensitizatio n on day 0 and day 1, day 2, 2 h before elicitation and 6 h after on day 5. The six experimental groups were compared according to left ear thickness difference (S1), left ear weight difference (S2), body weight difference (S3) and dermal i nflammatory infiltration cell number. RESULTS: Compared with saline group, the left ear swelling and d ermal inflammatory infiltration cell number were significantly reduced in CKZⅠ, Ⅱ,Ⅲ and DEX groups (P