Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Cinnamaldehyde in a Mouse Model of 2,4-Dinitrofluorobenzene-Induced Atopic Dermatitis

Eda Ustaoglu; Zafer Turkoglu; Ovgu A Ulgen; Ceyda Caytemel; Senay Agirgol

doi:10.4103/ijd.ijd_576_22

Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Cinnamaldehyde in a Mouse Model of 2,4-Dinitrofluorobenzene-Induced Atopic Dermatitis

Indian J Dermatol. 2023 Mar-Apr;68(2):170-177. doi: 10.4103/ijd.ijd_576_22.

Authors

Eda Ustaoglu¹, Zafer Turkoglu², Ovgu A Ulgen³, Ceyda Caytemel², Senay Agirgol²

Affiliations

¹ From the Department of Dermatology, Bursa City Hospital, Bursa, Turkey.
² Department of Dermatology, Basaksehir Cam and Sakura Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
³ Department of Pathology, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey.

Abstract

Background: This study aims to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of cinnamaldehyde in atopic dermatitis (AD) in the mouse model.

Materials and methods: Twenty-four mice were divided into four groups: Group A (control), group B [AD with no treatment (AD + NoTre)], group C [AD with corticosteroids (AD + Cort)] and group D [AD with cinnamaldehyde (AD + Cin)]. 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene was used to form the AD model. Topical corticosteroid was applied to group C, and oral cinnamaldehyde was administered to group D. Dorsal skin biopsies were evaluated immunohistochemically with interleukin (IL)-25, IL-33, thymic stromal lymphopoietin and caspase-3.

Results: Epithelial thicknesses were significantly higher in group B-D mice compared to group A (P = 0.002, 0.009, 0.004, respectively). Significantly, higher staining with IL-25 was observed in group B (AD + NoTre) and group D (AD + Cin) than in group A (control) (P = 0.003, 0.002, respectively). However, no significant difference was observed between group D (AD + Cin) and group B (AD + NoTre). All three groups (B-D) had significantly higher staining in terms of diffuseness of IL-33 compared to group A (control) (P = 0.002, 0.002, 0.002, respectively). Caspase-3 staining was significantly lower in group D (AD + Cin) than in group B (AD + NoTre) (P = 0.003, 0.002, respectively). Moreover, caspase-3 staining intensity was significantly lower in group D (AD + Cin) than in group C (AD + Cort) (P = 0.002).

Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that IL-33, IL-25 and caspase-3 have a role in the pathogenesis of AD. Furthermore, cinnamaldehyde reduced caspase-3 activity more than topical corticosteroids and anti-inflammatory effects might be investigated in AD therapy with future studies.

Keywords: 2; 4-dinitrofluorobenzene; Atopic dermatitis; caspase-3; cinnamaldehyde.