The Effects of Fabric Containing Chamaecyparis obtusa Essential Oil on Atopic Dermatitis-Like Lesions: A Functional Clothing Possibility

Abstract

Background: Essential oil derived from Chamaecyparis obtusa (EOCO) has been used as an alternative treatment for allergy-related diseases due to its immune-modulating characteristics. Clothing has the longest and most intense contact with human skin, and functional fabrics with intrinsic properties have been increasingly implemented in medical applications. Specially designed fabrics may support atopic dermatitis (AD) treatment. In this study, the effects of fabric containing EOCO on AD were investigated using an NC/Nga mouse model. Methods: The fabric was applied for 6 h per day for 14 days. The therapeutic effects were evaluated according to measurements of skin lesion severity (modified SCORAD score), transepidermal water loss (TEWL), serum IgE and inflammatory cytokine levels, lesion thickness measured after hematoxylin and eosin staining, and immunohistochemical and Western blot analysis for skin epidermal differentiation protein. Results: The EOCO group exhibited significantly reduced modified SCORAD score, TEWL, and serum IgE levels. Among the inflammatory cytokines analyzed, only the mean values of regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted were observed to be decreased compared with other control groups. The histological analysis of the skin also revealed that the EOCO group expressed reduced epidermal hyperplasia and recovered filaggrin, involucrin, and loricrin expression. Conclusions: It was confirmed that fabric containing EOCO has anti-atopic and antiinflammatory properties. The study data show that fabric containing EOCO can be implemented as an alternative functional clothing for people suffering from AD.

The Precious Potential of the Sacred Tree Chamaecyparis obtusa (Siebold & Zucc.) Endl. as a Source of Secondary Metabolites with Broad Biological Applications

“…The Chamaecyparis obtusa essential oil has been shown to inhibit DNCB-induced AD-like lesions in BALB/c mice through inhibition of Th1/Th2 cytokine overexpression and IgE in both lymph node and spleen [ 80 ]. In addition, in NC/Nga mice, treatment with a fabric saturated with the essential oil produced a significant decrease in the SCORAD score with modifications in transepidermal water loss and serum IgE levels, a reduction in epidermal proliferation and changes in filaggrin, involucrin, and loricrin expression [ 81 ]. The antiatopic effect was also confirmed by Yang et al, who showed that volatile organic compounds from Chamaecyparis obtusa cause inhibition of pathological dermal changes, decrease mast cell infiltration, reductions in serum IgE levels and inhibition of IL-6 and IL-1β in a dose-dependent manner [ 82 ].…”