EFFECT OF TOTAL GLUCOSIDES OF PAEONY ON INTERLEUKINS 18 AND 33 MRNA EXPRESSIONS IN PATIENTS WITH ALLERGIC CONTACT DERMATITIS

Objective: To investigate the effects of total glucosides of paeony (TGP) on interleukin-18 (IL-18) and interleukin-33 (IL-33) mRNA expressions in patients with allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). Methods: ACD patients who were diagnosed in our hospital from January 2015 to December 2017 were randomly divided into observation group and control group. The observation group was treated with TGP capsules combined with halometasone cream, while the control group was treated with halometasone cream only. The course of treatment was 4 weeks. Changes in skin lesions before and after treatment were monitored and recorded in both groups. The concentrations of IL-18 and IL-33 in peripheral blood were determined by ELISA, while the mRNA expressions of IL-18 and IL-33 were measured by RT-PCR. Results: After one course of treatment, the total effectiveness in the observation (98 %) was significantly higher than total effectiveness in the control group (73.1 %; p < 0.05). There were no significant difference in the levels of IL-18, IL-33, IgE and CRP between the two groups before treatment (p > 0.05). However, after one course of treatment, the IL-18, IL-33, IgE and CRP levels in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (p < 0.05). After treatment for 2 weeks and 4 weeks, the expression levels of IL-18 and IL-33 mRNA in the observation group were significantly lower than those before treatment, and the expression levels were significantly lower than that in the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The TGP has therapeutic effects on allergic contact dermatitis through the suppression of the expression of proinflammatory cytokines.