Objective: To study Chinese herbal prescription for treatment of eczema based on the suppressive effect of Chinese herbal medicine on type IV allergic reaction.
Methods: Various formulae composed of Chinese herbal medicines possessing suppressive effect on allergic contact dermatitis were formed based on the therapeutic principles of traditional Chinese medicine in treating eczema, and their effect on murine ear swelling, ear flake weight, dermal inflammatory infiltration cell count and plasma level of calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) were examined in mice with dinitrofluorobenzene induced dermatitis. A prescription, Composite Poria Decoction was formulated and made into granule form, which was used to treat 63 cases of eczema (atopic dermatitis was excluded), and compared with 59 cases treated with antihistamine that was aimed at the type I allergic reaction.
Results: Experimental study showed that all the 4 Chinese prescriptions had the effect of anti-type IV allergic reaction, among them, the formula for cooling blood, remove Heat, Wind and Dampness evil possessed the most potent effect in suppressing murine dermatitis, and it was also able to up-regulate the plasma CGRP concentration. The clinical cure rate of Composite Poria Granule treatment was 47.6%, and that of control was 22.0%, the difference was significant between the two groups (u = 2.9555, P < 0.01).
Conclusions: Chinese herbal medicine has effect of anti-type IV allergic reaction. Composite Poria Granule has good effect in treating eczema.