Carvacrol, a natural transient receptor potential vanilloid-3 activator, has been reported to cause pruritus in mice. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of carvacrol and various antipruritic agents in humans. A stimulation test with carvacrol, β-alanine, and histamine was performed. After application of the pruritic solutions, the skin was stimulated with pinpricks. In inhibition test A, Forsythia suspensa extract, containing forsythoside B (a transient receptor potential vanilloid-3 inhibitor), was applied by pricking prior to stimulation with pruritogens. In inhibition test B, olopatadine solution, tacrolimus ointment, and Scutellaria baicalensis root extract were applied, and carvacrol was applied to the same region. Carvacrol induces moderate pruritus in humans. The pruritus was relieved by Forsythia suspensa extract and olopatadine solution after 20 min of application and by tacrolimus ointment and Scutellaria baicalenis extract after 24 h of application. These results suggest that carvacrol is a pruritogen in humans, and that carvacrol-induced pruritus is inhibited by various antipruritic agents.
Keywords: carvacrol; oregano; pruritus; thymic stromal lymphopoietin; transient receptor potential vanilloid-3; itch.