Effect of cone of pinus densiflora on dncb‐induced allergic contact dermatitis‐like skin lesion in balb/c mice

Abstract

Cone of Pinus densiflora (CP), or Korean red pinecone, is a cluster of Pinus densiflora fruit. CP has also been verified in several studies to have anti‐oxidation, anti‐fungal, anti‐bacterial, and anti‐melanogenic effects. However, anti‐inflammatory effects have not yet been confirmed in the inflammatory responses of pinecones to allergic contact dermatitis. The purpose of this study is to prove the anti‐inflammatory effect of CP on allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) in vitro and in vivo. CP inhibited the expression of TSLP, TARC, MCP‐1, TNF‐α, and IL‐6 in TNF‐α/IFN‐γ‐stimulated HaCaT cells and MCP‐1, GM‐CSF, TNF‐α, IL‐6, and IL‐8 in PMACI (phorbol‐12‐myristate‐13‐acetate plus A23187)‐stimulated HMC‐1 cells. CP inhibited the phosphorylation of mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPKs), as well as the translocation of NF‐κB on TNF‐α/IFN‐γ stimulated in HaCaT cells. In vivo, CP decreased major symptoms of ACD, levels of IL‐6 in skin lesion, thickening of the epidermis and dermis, infiltration of eosinophils and mast cells, and the infiltration of CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells. This result suggests that CP represents a potential alternative medicine to ACD for diseases such as chronic skin inflammation.