Inhibitory Effect of Nelumbo nucifera (Gaertn.) on the Development of Atopic Dermatitis-Like Skin Lesions in NC/Nga Mice

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease which has a complex etiology that encompasses immunologic responses. The study was carried out to examine the effect of Nelumbo nucifera (Gaertn.) leaf (NL) on the AD-like skin lesion induced by repeated epicutaneous application of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) on the dorsal skin of NC/Nga mice. Three different doses of NL (5, 25, and 50 mg/mice/day) were administered orally from the day of sensitization with DNCB for 4 weeks. The efficacy of NL was judged by histopathological examination, blood IgE level, measurement of transepidermal water loss (TEWL), scratching behavior, and skin severity score. NL resulted in the suppression of clinical severity score, TEWL, scratching behavior, and blood IgE level. Histopathologic analyses revealed that thickening of the epidermis and mast cell degranulation was significantly reduced in NL group. These results suggest that NL may be a useful natural resource for the management of AD.