Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by the interplay between multiple genetic and environmental factors. The pathogenesis of AD remains incompletely understood. Treatment with topical steroids for chronic AD symptoms has severe side effects and so a new treatment is required. Verbascoside is a hydrophilic phenylethanoid glycoside with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties. Methods: Verbascoside was evaluated in AD-like lesions induced by the repetitive and alternative application of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) in BALB/c mice. Overall symptomatic score and serological and molecular changes of the skin lesions were investigated. Results: Verbascoside relieved the overall AD-like symptoms such as scratching behavior and skin lesion severity. At whole-body level, verbascoside significantly reduced DNCB-induced IgE and Th2 cytokines in the peripheral blood. At the skin lesion site, verbascoside also inhibited DNCB-induced production of proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-4 mRNA. In a human monocyte THP-1 model, verbascoside could suppress DNCB-induced upregulation of CD86 and CD54 at the cell surface, the secretion of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6, and the activation of NFκB signaling in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that verbascoside could be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of AD.

Keywords:
Atopic dermatitis, DNCB, Verbascoside, Th2, Inflammation
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