PMID- 18341655
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20080820
LR  - 20151119
IS  - 1365-2133 (Electronic)
IS  - 0007-0963 (Linking)
VI  - 158
IP  - 6
DP  - 2008 Jun
TI  - In vitro and clinical immunomodulatory effects of a novel Pentaherbs concoction 
      for atopic dermatitis.
PG  - 1216-23
LID - 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2008.08502.x [doi]
AB  - BACKGROUND: Our group recently reported a randomized and placebo-controlled 
      clinical trial on the efficacy of a twice-daily concoction of five herbal 
      ingredients (Pentaherbs formulation, PHF) in treating children with atopic 
      dermatitis (AD). OBJECTIVES: To investigate the immunomodulatory effects that may 
      be induced by PHF treatment. METHODS: We investigated the effects of PHF on 
      cytotoxicity and proliferation of phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)- and staphylococcal 
      enterotoxin B (SEB)-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) isolated 
      from buffy coat of blood donors. PHF-induced immunomodulation for five 
      inflammatory mediators in cultured PBMC was measured by reverse 
      transcription-polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. 
      The effects of a 3-month, open-label study of PHF on circulating inflammatory 
      mediators in children with AD were also assessed. RESULTS: PHF at up to 1 mg 
      mL(-1) dose-dependently suppressed PBMC proliferation. The addition of PHF to 
      cultured PBMC reduced supernatant concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic 
      factor (BDNF), interferon (IFN)-gamma and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha in 
      response to PHA, and BDNF and thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC) 
      following SEB stimulation. PHF increased epithelial cell-derived neutrophil 
      activating peptide-78 levels in culture supernatants. At the RNA level, PHF 
      suppressed the transcription of BDNF, TARC, IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha. Twenty-eight 
      children with AD were treated with PHF for 3 months, and their mean plasma 
      concentrations of BDNF and TARC decreased significantly from 1798 pg mL(-1) and 
      824 pg mL(-1) at baseline to 1378 pg mL(-1) and 492 pg mL(-1) (P = 0.002 and 
      0.013, respectively) upon study completion. CONCLUSIONS: PHF possesses in vitro 
      and in vivo immunomodulatory properties that may mediate the clinical efficacy 
      observed in AD treatment.
FAU - Leung, T F
AU  - Leung TF
AD  - Department of Paediatrics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales 
      Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong. tfleung@cuhk.edu.hk
FAU - Wong, K Y
AU  - Wong KY
FAU - Wong, C K
AU  - Wong CK
FAU - Fung, K P
AU  - Fung KP
FAU - Lam, C W K
AU  - Lam CW
FAU - Fok, T F
AU  - Fok TF
FAU - Leung, P C
AU  - Leung PC
FAU - Hon, K L E
AU  - Hon KL
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Randomized Controlled Trial
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
DEP - 20080313
PL  - England
TA  - Br J Dermatol
JT  - The British journal of dermatology
JID - 0004041
RN  - 0 (Biomarkers)
RN  - 0 (Drugs, Chinese Herbal)
RN  - 0 (Phytohemagglutinins)
SB  - IM
MH  - Biomarkers/metabolism
MH  - Child
MH  - Dermatitis, Atopic/*drug therapy/immunology
MH  - Drugs, Chinese Herbal/*administration & dosage
MH  - Female
MH  - Gene Expression/drug effects
MH  - Humans
MH  - Leukocytes, Mononuclear/*drug effects/metabolism
MH  - Male
MH  - Medicine, Chinese Traditional
MH  - Phytohemagglutinins/*metabolism
MH  - Phytotherapy/*methods
MH  - Treatment Outcome
EDAT- 2008/03/18 09:00
MHDA- 2008/08/21 09:00
CRDT- 2008/03/18 09:00
PHST- 2008/03/18 09:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2008/08/21 09:00 [medline]
PHST- 2008/03/18 09:00 [entrez]
AID - BJD8502 [pii]
AID - 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2008.08502.x [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - Br J Dermatol. 2008 Jun;158(6):1216-23. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2008.08502.x. 
      Epub 2008 Mar 13.