dynorphins and Dermatitis

Electroacupuncture (EA) is used as a prescription to treat pruritus and atopic dermatitis. Whether EA affects experimental itch in rat models of immunologic or neuronal damages, however, is unknown.. The present study was designed to determine the therapeutic effects of high-frequency EA on atopic dermatitis-like lesions in rats.. Capsaicin (50mg/kg) was subcutaneously administered rat pups within 48h after birth. Rats then underwent 30min of EA at six acupoints (bilateral BL13, and unilateral LI11, ST36, SP10, SP6) every other day (EA group) for 3 weeks. Measurements of IgE, mast cells, scratching behavior, dynorphin release, skin thickness and dermatitis score were obtained.. Only the dermatitis score and dynorphin expression were decreased in the EA group compared with the control non-EA group.. We suggest that high-frequency EA alleviates pruritus of atopic dermatitis-like lesions in rats induced by capsaicin injection, via the release of dynorphin. These findings indicate a new potential therapeutic approach for the amelioration of symptoms of atopic dermatitis.

Topics: Animals; Animals, Newborn; Body Weight; Capsaicin; Dermatitis; Dermatitis, Atopic; Disease Models, Animal; Dynorphins; Electroacupuncture; Immunoglobulin E; Male; Mast Cells; Phenotype; Pruritus; Rats; Skin; Treatment Outcome