Pseudolaric acid B extracted from the Chinese medicinal herb Cortex Pseudolaricis ameliorates DNFB-induced atopic dermatitislike skin lesions in BALB/c mice

Objective: Pseudolaric acid B (PB) is a newly identified diterpenoid isolated from Tujinpi (Cortex Pseudolaricis). In the present study, we aimed to explore the anti-inflammatory effects of PB on atopic dermatitis (AD), as well as the molecular mechanisms underlying its effects. Methods: BALB/c mice treated with 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene were orally administered with PB (10 mg∙kg^-1∙d^-1). After evaluating the AD score, serum levels of IgE and the mRNA expression of NLRP3 inflammasome and IL-1β were measured by ELISA and qRT-PCR respectively. Results: The results showed that PB treatment significantly ameliorated the development of AD-like clinical symptoms and effectively suppressed the infiltration of inflammatory cells. Furthermore, PB inhibited the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome and IL-1β in skin lesions, and downregulated serum IgE levels. Conclusion: The anti-inflammatory properties of PB were demonstrated using the 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene-induced mouse model of AD-like skin lesions. Our study highlighted the potential use of PB as a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of inflammation-associated skin diseases.