RESUMO
Objective To research the effects of five Chinese herbs of Artemisia argyi, Chimonanthus praecox, Agastache rugosa, pine needles and Osmamthus fragrans on human demodicid mites in vitro. Methods The human demodicid mites were acquired with the cellophane tape method. The ethanol heat reflux extractions were carried out on the 5 kinds of Chinese herbs to be studied and Stemona sessilifolia as the positive control, so as to get the herbal extracts. Next, the drug administration was carried out to the demodicid mites, and the inhibitory or killing effects of the 6 kinds of Chinese herbs above mentioned on the vermiform mites were observed under a microscope. It was considered to be dead when the bodies of the demodicid mites stopped moving. Besides, the duration from drug administration to death of the vermiform mites was recorded. Results Artemisia argyi, Chimonanthus praecox and Agastache rugosa could effectively inhibit and kill human demodicid mites. The effect of Artemisia argyi and Agastache rugosa was similar to the effect of Stemona sessilifolia, and the effect of Chimonanthus praecox was weaker than Stemona sessilifolia’s effect. Among them, Agastache rugosa took a relatively short time (4.60 min ± 1.66 min) min and Osmamthus fragrans took the longest time (114.65min ± 80.14min) to Demodex folliculorum; Whereas, Artemisia argyi took the shortest time (3.56min ± 1.92 min) min and Osmamthus fragrans took the longest time (194.24min ± 134.96 min) min to Demodex brevis. Conclusions The effects of Artemisia argyi and Agastache rugosa on human demodicid mites are similar to that of Stemona sessilifolia. The effects of Chimonanthus praecox and pine needles are weaker than that of Stemona sessilifolia. Osmamthus fragrans has no acaricidal effect.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The role of cutaneous bacterial flora in eczematous dermatitis has been discussed for decades. Areas of active dermatitis in patients with atopic dermatitis(AD) are known to be heavily colonized with Staphylococcus aureus. The density of S. aureus is correlated with the severity of AD. S. aureus is considered to be an exacerbating factor in this disease. The bacterium interferes in the inflammatory process of atopic dermatitis in various ways, among which the ability to release superantigens in a high percentage of clinical isolates is of great importance. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the microbiology of the skin of the patients with AD and non-atopic dermatitis(NAD). We compared bacterial colonization of AD with those of NAD and healthy controls(HC). METHODS: Cutaneous organisms were obtained using Tape method from the worst lesion and uninvolved forearm skin of 30 patients with AD, 25 patients with NAD and 30 individuals as HC. Bacterial growth was examined in aerobic culture and the counts of colony forming unit(CFU) were estimated. The sensitivity to ten antibiotics of the bacteria isolated was also tested. RESULTS: 1.S. aureus colonizations of the eczematous skin were found in 19 of 30 AD patients(63%) and in 9 of 25 NAD patients(36%). The difference between the two groups was statistically significan t(p=0.076, alpha<0.1). 2.In AD patients, the frequencies of S. aureus colonizations revealed 63%(19 of 30) in the lesion and 60%(18 of 30) in uninvolved skin, which were significantly higher than 33%(10 of 30) of HC(p<0.05). 3.The frequency of S. aureus colonizations in the lesions of NAD patients revealed 36%, which was not significantly higher than 33% of HC(p=0.836). 4.Coagulase negative strains of staphylococcus were found in 20 of 30 HC(66%) and 17 of 25(68%) uninvolved skin of NAD patients(68%) compared with 12 of 30 uninvolved skin of with AD(40%). 5.In AD patients with positive nasal colonization with S. aureus, the frequencies of S. aureus colonization in the lesion and uninvolved skin were increased in significance compared with patients with negative nasal colonization(p<0.05). And total counts of CFU in the lesion and uninvolved skin of AD patients were significantly higher compared with HC(p<0.05). 6.Total counts of CFU correlated with severity of dermatitis. CONCLUSION: Colonization of S. aureus was significnatly increased in the skin of AD patients compared with healthy controls. As the severity of the AD lesions increased, the numbers of S. aureus isolated increased. These results support the role of S. aureus in the AD described in the previous reports. Tape method had the advantage of being inexpensive, quick and straightforward to prepare, easy for the clinician to use and was well tolerated by children. It is hoped that the result of this study and the availability of Tape method in the culture of bacteria of the skin will facilitate and promote investigations of pathophysiology and treatment of eczematous dermatitis as well as AD.