• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.279-291
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• 2021

Objectives: This study investigated the association between air pollutant levels and medical usage rates for environmental disease in a general residential area during the period 2015-2017. Methods: Air pollutant (PM₁₀, PM_2.5, SO₂, NO₂, CO, O₃) data were collected from Air-Korea. Medical usage data on environmental disease (asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis) for the period 2015-2017 in a general residential area in Gyeongsangnam-do Province were provided by the National Health Insurance Corporation. Pearson correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were conducted to investigate the association between air pollutant levels and medical usage rates (SAS 9.4). In the multiple regression analysis, environmental disease was set as the dependent variable and air pollutants were set as independent variables and analyzed using the General Linear Model. Results: Except for PM_2.5, the average concentration of air pollutants in the surveyed area was below than the air environment standards of Korea. NO₂ was higher than Korea's national average, but CO was similar. The others were lower than the Korea's national average. The daily medical usage rates for environmental disease were 1.38‰ for asthma, 9.90‰ for allergic rhinitis, and 0.32‰ for atopic dermatitis. As a result of correlation analysis, PM₁₀ and SO₂, NO₂ and CO were significantly correlated with asthma, PM₁₀ and NO₂ and CO were correlated with allergic rhinitis, and PM₁₀ and PM_2.5, SO₂, NO₂ and CO were correlated with atopic dermatitis. As a result of multiple regression analysis, PM₁₀ and SO₂ were found to have a higher effect on asthma, PM₁₀ and NO₂ on allergic rhinitis, and SO₂ and NO₂ on atopic dermatitis, compared to other air pollutants. Conclusion: According to these results, air pollutants such as PM₁₀ and SO₂ and NO₂ were associated with the medical usage rates of environmental disease even in relatively low concentrations. Therefore, continuous monitoring will be required for general residential areas.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.235-241
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• 2004

Gagam-danguiemja (GDGJ), a traditional Korean prescription, has been used as therapeutics for atopic allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis. To evaluate the atopic allergic effect of modified GDGJ, we investigated a possible effect of GDGJ on mast cell-mediated allergic reaction, cytokinases secretion and mRNA expression in vivo and in vitro. Mast cells are a potent source of mediators that regulate the inflammatory response in allergic reaction. In mice orally administered by GDGJ (0.01, 0.1 and 1.0 g/kg) for 1 h, compound 48/80-induced ear oedema was significantly reduced. TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-8, and IL-6 secretion were inhibited by GDGJ in the human mast cell line (HNC-1). But TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-8, and IL-6 mRNA expression were not inhibited by GDGJ at the dose of 0.01 mg/ml. These findings may help in understanding the mechanism of action of this herbal medication, leading to the control of mast cells in atopic allergic reaction like AD.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.244-249
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• 2014

Arazyme is a metalloprotease secreted by Aranicola proteolyticus that was previously shown to suppress cytokine expression of keratinocytes and endothelial cells and inhibit histopathological features in an atopic dermatitis-like animal model. However, the regulatory effects of arazyme in other allergic diseases have yet to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated whether arazyme is effective against neutrophil apoptosis in allergic diseases such as allergic rhinitis and asthma. Arazyme inhibited neutrophil apoptosis of normal subjects in a dose-dependent manner. However, the antiapoptotic effect of arazyme was reversed by LY294002, an inhibitor of PI3K, AKTi, an inhibitor of Akt, PD98059, an inhibitor of MEK, and BAY-11-7085, an inhibitor of NF-${\kappa}B$. Arazyme induced activation of NF-${\kappa}B$ via PI3K/Akt/ERK pathway. The anti-apoptotic effect of arazyme is associated with inhibition of cleavage of caspase 3 and caspase 9. Arazyme inhibited constitutive apoptosis of neutrophil in a dose-dependent manner in allergic subjects, and its mechanism was shown to be associated with PI3K/Akt/ERK/NF-${\kappa}B$. The results presented here improve our understanding of neutrophil apoptosis regulation and will facilitate development of drugs for treatment of allergic diseases.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.185-191
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• 2010

Mast cell-mediated allergic disease is involved in many diseases such as anaphylaxis, asthma and atopic dermatitis. The discovery of drugs for the treatment of allergic disease is an important subject in human health. In the present study, the effect of water extract of Gleditsiae Spina (WGS) (Leguminosae), on compound 48/80-induced systemic allergic reaction, anti-DNP IgE antibody-induced local allergic reaction, and histamine release from human mast cell line (HMC-1) cells were studied. In addition, the effect of WGS on phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) plus calcium ionophore A23187 (A23187)-induced gene expression and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines were investigated using HMC-1 cells. WGS was anally administered to mice for high and fast absorption. WGS inhibited compound 48/80-induced systemic allergic reaction. WGS dose-dependently decreased the IgE-mediated passive cutaneous anaphylaxis. WGS reduced histamine release from HMC-1 cells. In addition, WGS decreased the gene expression and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines in PMA plus A23187-stimulated HMC-1 cells. These findings provide evidence that WGS could be a candidate as an antiallergic agent.

• BMB Reports
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.305-310
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• 2012

Allergic diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis are heterogeneous diseases characterized by multiple symptoms and phenotypes. Recent advancements in genetic study enabled us to identify disease associated genetic factors. Numerous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have revealed multiple associated loci for allergic diseases. However, the majority of previous studies have been conducted in populations of European ancestry. Moreover, the associations of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with allergic diseases have not been studied amongst the large-scale general Korean population. Herein, we performed the replication study to validate the previous variants, known to be associated with allergic diseases, in the Korean population. In this study, we categorized three allergic related phenotypes, one allergy and two asthma related phenotypes, based on self-reports of physician diagnosis and their symptoms from 8,842 samples. As a result, we found nominally significant associations of 6 SNPs with at least one allergic related phenotype in the Korean population.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.51-60
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• 2012

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of Hwangryunhaedock-tang on Atopic Dermatitis Methods: This study population was 71 pediatric allergic rhinitis patients who had been treated in ${\bigcirc}{\bigcirc}$ hospital. All the patients were asked to answer the questionnaire consisting of 8 questions about symptoms of atopic dermatitis. Results: 1. The total scores from the same questionnaire about atopic dermatitis symptoms were significantly improved after the treatment compared to the scores before the treatment. 2. The score about papule/induration/edema, effusion/furuncle, and subjective symptoms at night were significantly improved in all groups after the treatment compared to the scores before the treatment. 3. The effect of Hwangryunhaedock-tang increase markedly with advancing age. The effect of Hwangryunhaedocktang increases markedly with advancing age. Conclusions Traditional Korean herbal medication; Hwangryunhaedock-tang is effective in treating pediatric atopic dermatitis.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.1-6
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• 2017

Objectives: Natural environment therapy is considered as an option for atopic dermatitis. This study was aimed to examine the beneficial effects of natural environment therapy among patients with atopic dermatitis who have moved in an atopy-free village. Methods: The questionnaire-based survey was conducted from parents of 20 children with atopic dermatitis (12 male and 8 female, median age 8 years, ranging from 6 to 13 years). The questionnaire consisted of 10 questions for the changes of two typical symptoms of pruritus and sleeping difficulty after moving into an atopy-free village. Results: 75.0% and 88.9% of patients have a family history (at least one parent and one of siblings respectively) of allergic disorders. The median staying period of patients was 27.6 months (ranging from 2 to 55 months). The score indicating pruritus was significantly improved from $6.2{\pm}2.8$ into $4.8{\pm}1.8$ (p<0.05), and sleeping difficulty was also improved from $5.7{\pm}2.9$ into $4.3{\pm}2.1$ (p<0.05) too. Conclusions: This study suggests that the natural environmental therapies could be a choice for patients with atopic dermatitis, which should be studied further for their scientific evidence and mechanisms.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.171-186
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• 1999

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic or chronically relapsing, pruritic dermatitis. It commonly occurs in patients with a personal or family history of atopy. We studied 67 children suffering from atopic dermatitis Oriental Medicine Hospital in Kyunghee University, and analyzed sex, age, feeding, clinical manifestation, risk factor. The results were as follows : 1.Most age distribution of children was from 2 to 6, male to female ratio was 1:1.03 2.Breast-feeding to milk-feeding ratio was 2.93:1 3.Frequency of aggravating symptom by specific food was 31.3%, among this, meat(especially chicken) was revealed high risk factor 4.Frequency of family history suffering from other allergic disease was 61.2%, among this father to mother ratio was 1.27:1 5.Sites of atopic dermatitis were as follows : The inner space of elbow and knee joint was 77.65, back, face, neck was 56.7%, back of ear was 52.2%, wrist was 46.3%, abdomen was 38.8%, ankle was 34.3%,head was 29.9%.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.123-130
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• 2010

The effect of DHU001, a mixed herbal formula consisted of 7 types aqueous extracts for various respiratory disorders were evaluated on 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced contact dermatitis, type I allergic model. Contact dermatitis was induced by sensitization with dinitrophenyl-derivatized ovalbumin (DNP-OVA) and DNFB challenge as antigen. Two different dosages of DHU001 (300 and 150 mg/kg) were orally administered to DNP-OVA sensitization mice once a day for 7 days with reference material, dexamethasone (15 mg/kg, intraperitoneal treatment). End of 7 days oral administration of DHU001 extracts or intraperitoneal treatment of dexamethasone, the changes on the edematous changes and scratching behavior were measured. Immediate after DNFB challenge on ear or paw of DNP-OVA sensitized mice, increases of ear and paw thicknesses and weights were detected with anterior ear skin (dermis to epidermis) thickness and paw scratching behavior increases. However, these contact dermatitis signs induced by DNFB treatment were reduced by treatment of the both different dosages of DHU001 and dexamethasone, respectively. The results obtained in this study suggest that oral treatment of DHU001 extracts also has relatively favorable effects on contact dermatitis.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.69-77
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• 2002

Purpose: Atopic dermatitis, which is one the prevalent allergic diseases in toddlers and adolescent population, has not been treated with Sasang Constitutional Medicine due to the limitation of constitution differentiation in children. This study was aimed to examine the effect of treatment for atopic dermatitis with Sasang Constitutional Medicine. Method: Forty-three patients over age 3 who were diagnosed with atopic dermatitis by the criteria of Hanifin and Rajka were participated in this study from August, 2001 thru May, 2002 at the Pohang Oriental Medicine Hospital, Kyungsan University. Result: 1. Soyangin showed the highest proportion of 79% of the sample. 2. The symptom of the disease by patients' constitution according to the degree of affected skin and itching was severe in Soyangin, and mild in Soeumin 3. For treatment 9 kinds of prescription regimen were given; Yangkyuksanhwatang was mostly used for Soyangin followed by Hyungbangsabaksan. Hayngsayangwetang and Galgunhaegitang were prescribed for Soeumin and Taeumin, respectively. 4. The treatment effect was found in 84% (n=36) of the patients markedly. Six out of seven who showed no progress were Soyangin. Conclusion: The treatment based on the constitution differentiation and prescription of the Sasang Constitutional Medicine was effective for the symptom alleviation in a short term period in atopic dermatitis. Further clinical study is needed to prove the effect of Sasang Constitutional Medicine in a larger sample and various diseases.