Stress evaluation in adult patients with atopic dermatitis using salivary cortisol.

The symptoms of atopic dermatitis (AD) are often aggravated by stress, and AD can also lead to psychological stress due to social isolation and discrimination. The salivary cortisol level reflects psychological stress, and it is a good index to assess chronic stress. In this study, we measured the salivary cortisol levels in patients with AD (n = 30) and compared them with those of healthy control subjects (n = 42).

The traditional Japanese formula keishibukuryogan inhibits the production of inflammatory cytokines by dermal endothelial cells.

Keishibukuryogan (KBG) is one of the traditional herbal formulations widely administered to patients with blood stagnation for improving blood circulation; currently, it is the most frequently prescribed medicine in Japan. KBG has been reported to improve conjunctional microcirculation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of KBG and paeoniflorin, a bioactive compound of KBG, in inhibiting the production of inflammatory cytokines using human dermal microvessel endothelial cells (HDMECs).