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We studied the effects of Coptidis rhizoma, Whangryonhaedoktang (mixed of Scutellaria radix, Coptidis rhizoma, Gardeniae fructus, Phellodendri cartex), Lonicera japonica on the lymphocyte activity in allergic contact dermatitis indeced by contact allergen 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB) of Balb/C mouse. The lymphocyte proliferation was significantly inhibited in naive mouse administered Coptidis rhizoma, Whangryonhaedoktang, and weakly inhibited in naive mouse administered Lonicera japonica. The Lymphocyte proliferation was significantly inhibited in naive mouse administered 3 kinds of herbal medicines when stimulated with ConA (1㎍/㎖). The lymphocyte proliferation was significantly inhibited in sensitized mouse administered Coptidis rhizoma or Whangryonhaedoktang, and weakly inhibited in mouse administered Lonicera japonica when cultured without DNBS. The cytokine profiles of lymph node cells from DNCB-sensitized and DNBS-stimulated mouse were strong expression of IL-2 and IFN-γ, weak expression of LT and IL-4, and no expression of IL-6 and IL-10. This lymphocyte proliferation was significantly inhibited in mice administered herbal medicine for 10 days and sensitized with DNCB at day 5 (88.22%, 65.14%, and 52.99% in Coptidis rhizoma, Whangryonhaedoktang, Lonicera japonica, respectively). But Lonicera japonica was not effective in the inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation when administered after DNCB-sensitization. The cytokine expressions were also inhibited especially IL-2 and IFN-γ in Coptidis rhizoma administered mice. These inhibitions of lymphocyte activity by herbal medicines were also observed when stimulated with ConA (1㎍/㎖). Conclusively, immune responses of contact hypersensitivity induced by DNCB are involved in local lymph node T cells mainly Th1 type cell, and herbal medicines especially Coptidis rhizoma suppressed allergic contact dermatitis via inhibition of the activity of these cells. Maybe, it can be partly explained by the component of Coptidis rhizoma, berberine, which has revealed to have some cytotoxicity.
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