WO2006123887A1

WO2006123887A1 - Composition containing herb medicine for treating atopic dermatitis

Info

Publication number: WO2006123887A1
Application number: PCT/KR2006/001832
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jeong-Jin Kim; Kyoo-Seok Ahn; Hee Kang
Original assignee: Jeong-Jin Kim; Kyoo-Seok Ahn; Hee Kang
Priority date: 2005-05-17
Filing date: 2006-05-17
Publication date: 2006-11-23
Also published as: KR20060118809A; KR100742378B1

Abstract

Disclosed is a composition containing a herb medicine for treating atopic dermatitis. The composition according to the present invention is safe and may be useful to treat atopic dermatitis.

Description

COMPOSITION CONTAINING HERB MEDICINE FOR TREATING ATOPIC

DERMATITIS

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a composition containing a herb medicine for

treating atopic dermatitis.

BACKGROUND ART

Atopic dermatitis is a disease in which inflammation is chronically caused in

skin because the skin is hypersensitive to factors that are, otherwise, not harmful to

normal human. That is to say, it has been known that the atopic dermatitis is caused

due to the hypersensitiveness of immune system to infection by bacteria, virus, fungus,

etc., certain substances such as pollen, etc., foods, synthetic chemical substances, etc.

T cell is associated with such an immune response, and cytokine secreted by the

T cell is mainly classified into two types: ThI cytokine and Th2 cytokine. The ThI

cytokine is associated with a cell-mediated immune response and the Th2 cytokine is

associated with an antibody immune response, and atopic dermatitis or other allergic

diseases are all developed since, when a balance of the two cytokines is upset, the Th2

cytokines such as interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-5, IL-13, etc. are excessively secreted, and

then secretion of the ThI cytokines such as interferon- y (IFN- Y ) secreted by the ThI

cell is decreased antagonistically (see, Jujo K. et al., Decreased interferone gamma and

increased interleukin-4 production in atopic dermatitis promotes IgE synthesis. J Allergy

CHn Immunol 1992; 90: 323-31 and Tang ML. et al., Interleukin-4 and interferone-γ production in atopic and non-atopic children with asthma. Clin Exp Allergy 1995; 25: 515-21).

Also, many Staphylococcus sp. are colonized in skin of most atopic dermatitis patients, and their cell number accounts for approximately 10⁷ CFU/cm2 that is as much

as 200 times higher than the normal human. Immunoglobulin E (IgE) continues to be

secreted due to the bacterial infection, and ceramidase, which is known to be secreted by

these bacteria, degrades ceramide that maintains a moisturizing ability in a hypodermal

tissue, and therefore pruritus is continuously induced to aggravate the dermatitis. IL-4, the Th2 cytokine, functions to facilitate attachment of the bacteria to the skin, and

therefore, once the atopic dermatitis is developed, the Staphylococcus sp. is propagated

in an uncontrolled manner (see, Donald YM. et al, Infection in atopic dermatitis. Curr

Opin Pediatr 2003; 15: 399-404 and Chos SH. et al., Preferential binding of

Staphylococcus aureus to skin sites of Th2-mediated inflammation in a murine model. J

Invest Dermatol 2001; 116: 658-63).

In order to treat such an atopic dermatitis, a steroid agent, an antihistaminic

agent, an antibiotic agent, etc. have been used, but the steroid agent such as an

adrenocortical hormone has an excellent effect on an anti-inflammatory response and an

immunosuppressive response but may develop severe skin side effects if it is used for an

extended time and be additionally infected by the bacteria. Also, the antihistaminic

agent may temporally alleviate the pruritus but develop various side effects if it is used for an extended time, and the antibiotic is used for treating a secondary infection by the

bacteria such as Staphylococcus sp., etc., but is not basically the remedy.

Recently, tacrolimus (Protopic™) or pimecrolimus (Elidel™) has been used as the therapeutic agent for the atopic dermatitis, and both of the drugs have disadvantages

that they have an effect of rapidly alleviating symptoms of the atopic dermatitis since they are used as the immunosuppressive agent for suppressing expression of the

inflammatory cytokines, but their effect is temporal, and a natural defense mechanism of

the skin may be weakened if they are used for an extended time.

DISCLOSURE QF INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is designed to solve the problems of the prior

art, and therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide a composition

containing a herb medicine for treating atopic dermatitis, the herb medicine being

generally used, proven to be safe for human beings and capable of being used for

treating atopic dermatitis. More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to

provide a composition containing a herb medicine for treating atopic dermatitis, the herb

medicine being capable of stimulating a relatively increased secretion of the ThI

cytokine, compared to a secretion of the Th2 cytokine.

In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a

composition for treating atopic dermatitis, including at least one herb medicine selected

from the group consisting of Cassia obtusifolia Linne, Angelica tenuissima Nakai, Agastache rugosa O. Kuntze, Platycodon grandiflorum A. De candole, Phragmites

communis Trinius, Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, Angelica gigas Nakai, Liriope platyphylla Wang et Tang, Hordeum vulgare Linne, Saussurea lappa Clarke, Saposhnikovia divaricata Schiskin, Dictamnus albus Linne, Angelica dahurica Bentham et Hooker,

Atractylodes japonica koidzumi, Loranthus parasiticus (L) Merr., Foeniculum vulgare Miller, Dipsacus asperoides C. Y. Cheng et T. M. Ai, Cimicifuga heracleifolia Komarov,

Massa Medicata Fermentata, Cistanche deserticola Y. C. Ma, Coiz lacryma-jobi Linne

var. ma-yuen stapf, Hoelen rubra, Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge, Cnidium

officinale Makino, Gastrodia elata Blume, Asparagus cochinchinensls Merrill,

Trichosanthes kirilowii Maximowicz, Celosia argentia Linne, Alisma orientale

Juzepczuk, Cyperus rotundus Linne, Corydalis ternata Nakai, Schizonepeta tenuifolia

Briquet, Sesamum indicum Linne and Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi.

Hereinfater, the composition for treating atopic dermatitis according to the present invention will be described in detail, as follows.

The composition for treating atopic dermatitis according to the present invention

includes at least one herb medicine selected from the group consisting of Cassia

obtusifolia Linne, Angelica tenuissima Nakai, Agastache rugosa O. Kuntze, Platycodon

grandiflorum A. De candole, Phragmites communis Trinius, Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge,

Angelica gigas Nakai, Liriope platyphylla Wang et Tang, Hordeum vulgare Linne,

Saussurea lappa Clarke, Saposhnikovia divaricata Schiskin, Dictamnus albus Linne, Angelica dahurica Bentham et Hooker, Atracty lodes japonica koidzumi, Loranthus

parasiticus(L) Merr., Foeniculum vulgare Miller, Dipsacus asperoides C. Y. Cheng et T.

M. Ai, Cimicifuga heracleifolia Komarov, Massa Medicata Fermentata, Cistanche

deserticola Y. C. Ma, Coiz lacryma-jobi Linne var. ma-yuen stapf, Hoelen rubra,

Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge, Cnidium officinale Makino, Gastrodia elata Blume, Asparagus cochinchinensls Merrill, Trichosanthes kirilowii Maximowicz, Celosia

argentia Linne, Alisma orientale Juzepczuk, Cyperus rotundus Linne, Corydalis ternata

Nakai, Schizonepeta tenuifolia Briquet, Sesamum indicum Linne and Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi. Preferably, the composition for treating atopic dermatitis

according to the present invention includes at least one herb medicine selected from the

group consisting of Agastache rugosa O. Kuntze, Angelica gigas Nakai, Atractylodes

japonica koidzumi, Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge, Asparagus cochinchinensls

Merrill, Schizonepeta tenuifolia Briquet and Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi. More

preferably, the composition for treating atopic dermatitis according to the present invention includes at least one herb medicine selected from the group consisting of

Atractylodes japonica koidzumi, Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge, Schizonepeta

tenuifolia Briquet and Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi.

The present invention is based on the finding that 150 herb medicines are

screened so as to find herb medicines for stimulating a relatively increased secretion of

the ThI cytokine in comparison to a secretion of the Th2 cytokine, and therefore the

herb medicines as listed above stimulates a relatively increased secretion of the ThI

cytokine. Also, the present invention is based on the finding that the herb medicine having such a pharmacological effect is useful to treat atopic dermatitis.

Various in vivo, ex vivo or in vitro methods may be used for determining an

effect of treating atopic dermatitis. For example, the effect of treating atopic dermatitis

may be determined by extracting blood from an atopic dermatitis patient, separating a

peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) from the blood, incubating the separated

PBMC, followed by reacting the incubated PBMC with the herb medicines to measure changes of secreted cytokines, but is not limited thereto.

The herb medicines used for the composition for treating atopic dermatitis according to the present invention may be included at various forms in the composition. For example, the herb medicine is thoroughly dried and ground into fine powder, and

then the fine powder may be added to the composition of the present invention, and the

herb medicine is also extracted in a solvent, and then the extract may be added to the

composition of the present invention. As the method for extracting the herb medicine

of the present invention, an enfleurage for exuding a herb medicine for a predetermined time at a relatively low temperature; a maceration similar to the enfleurage but exuding

a herb medicine at 35 to 45 ^°C ; a heating extraction method for exuding a herb

medicine at 60 to 120 ^°C ; a percolation method using a percolater; a distillation/cooling

extraction method, etc. may be used herein, but is not limited thereto. The composition for treating atopic dermatitis according to the present invention

may further include a carrier, a disintergrant, a binder, a lubricant, a wetting agent, an

emulsifying agent, a suspending agent, etc. for the purpose of its easy formulation, in

addition to the powder and extract of the herb medicine as described above, or be

formulated in various forms together with a tablet, a capsule, a granulating agent, a pill,

a solution, a suspending agent, an ointment, a cream, etc. The composition may be

preferably formulated in various forms together with a tablet, a granulating agent, a pill,

a solution, ointment, a cream, etc., wherein the composition includes various additives in addition to the herb medicine components such as the herb medicine powder, the herb

medicine extract, etc.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of preferred embodiments of

the present invention will be more fully described in the following detailed description, taken accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

FIGs. 1 and 2 show photographs taken before/after atopic dermatitis is treated

using a composition containing an Alisma orientale Juzepczuk extract according to the present invention.

FIGs. 3 and 4 show photographs taken before/after atopic dermatitis is treated

using a composition containing a Cnidium officinale Makino extract according to the present invention.

FIGs. 5 and 6 show photographs taken before/after atopic dermatitis is treated

using a composition containing a Coiz lacryma-jobi Linne var. ma-yuen stapf extract according to the present invention.

FIGs. 7 and 8 show photographs taken before/after atopic dermatitis is treated

using a composition containing an Angelica dahurica Bentham et Hooker extract

according to the present invention.

FIGs. 9 and 10 show photographs taken before/after atopic dermatitis is treated

using a composition containing a Liriope platyphylla Wang et Tang extract according to

the present invention.

FIGs. 11 and 12 show photographs taken before/after atopic dermatitis is treated

using a composition containing a Platycodon grandiflorum A. De candole extract

according to the present invention.

FIGs. 13 and 14 show photographs taken before/after atopic dermatitis is treated using a composition containing an Asparagus cochinchinensls Merrill extract according

to the present invention.

FIGs. 15 and 16 show photographs taken before/after atopic dermatitis is treated using a composition containing an Agastache rugosa O. Kuntze extract according to the present invention.

FIGs. 17 and 18 show photographs taken before/after atopic dermatitis is treated

using a composition containing an Angelica gigas Nakai extract according to the present invention.

FIGs. 19 and 20 show photographs taken before/after atopic dermatitis is treated using a composition containing an Atractylodes japonica koidzumi extract according to

the present invention.

FIGs. 21 and 22 show photographs taken before/after atopic dermatitis is treated

using a composition containing a Schizonepeta tenuifolia Briquet extract according to the present invention.

FIGs. 23 and 24 show photographs taken before/after atopic dermatitis is treated

using a composition containing a Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi extract according to the

present invention.

FIGs. 25 and 26 show photographs taken before/after atopic dermatitis is treated

using a composition containing an Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge extract according

to the present invention.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood

that other equivalents and modifications could be made thereto without departing from

the spirit and scope of the invention. Example 1: Preparation of Herb Medicine Sample

Each of the herb medicines was weighed, put into distilled water, kept overnight,

and then extracted. Subsequently, supernatants were freeze-dried and ground into

powders. The freeze-dried powders were dissolved in phosphate-buffered saline (PSB)

to a concentration of 100 //g/ml, and then filtered through a 0.2 μm filter to prepare test

samples.

Experimental example 1 : Measurement of Cytokine Secretion

Blood was extracted from an atopic dermatitis patient and put into a heparinized

tube. Then, Lymphoprep (Axis-Shield PoC AS, Oslo, Norway) and the blood were put

into a centrifugal tube at a ratio of 1 :2, and then centrifuged for 20 minutes at a rotary

speed of 1,000 rpm to separate a middle fraction containing the cell. Subsequently,

phosphate-buffered saline (PSB) was added, and centrifuged 3 additional times. The

resultant cell pellet was suspended in a RPMI 1640 medium (Invitrogen, U.S.) containing 10% FBS (fetal bovine serum), 1% antibiotic and an antifungal agent. The cell suspension and a trypan blue solution were thoroughly mixed at a ratio of 1 : 1 , kept

for approximately 5 minutes, and then the numbers of dead cell dyed with the trypan

blue solution and the total cell were counted. Cell viability was determined using such

a trypan blue assay, and then the cell number was adjusted to 1.5 X 10⁶/m£.

The cell suspension, in which the cell number was adjusted, was seeded at an

amount of 0.5 ml into each of 48 wells, and PHA (phytohemagglutinin, Sigma, Cat. #L-8902, U.S.) was added at an amount of 50 βg/ml and simultaneously the sample

prepared in Example 1 was added at an amount of 100 μg/ml. After 48-hour

incubation, the cell suspension was collected, centrifuged to remove a supernatant, and

then stored in -20 ^°C until it is used later in the following cytokine assay.

The ThI cytokine, interferon- y (IFN- γ ), and the Th2 cytokine, interleukin-4

(IL-4) was measured using an ELISA method. Firstly, Each well of a 96-well plate

was coated with capture antibodies against IL-4 and IFN- Y (Pharmingen, U.S.) at 4^°C

overnight. Then, the 96-well plate was washed 3 times, and then phosphate-buffered

saline containing 10 % FBS was put into each well of the 96-well plate at an amount of

200 //fVwell and kept for 1 hour to carry out a blocking reaction. The 96-well plate

was washed 3 times again to remove a blocking buffer completely, and then the sample

diluted with the blocking buffer was added at an amount of 100 μi and incubated at

4 ^°C overnight. The resultant 96-well plate was washed 5 times, and then a

biotinylated detection antibody (Pharmingen, U.S.) was added to each well of the

96-well plate, incubated for 1 hour at a room temperature, and then washed 7 times.

Then, 100 ≠ of streptavidin-HRP was added, and 50 μl of IM H₂SO₄ was added at

30 minutes after the streptavidin-HRP addition. Subsequently, optical densities of the

IL-4 and the IFN- y were measured at a wavelength of 450 to 570 nm using a

microplate reader (Tecan, Austria).

As a control, the samples, prepared in Example 1 using the same blood sample,

were not added but only PHA was added to each of the herb medicine, and then an optical density of the samples was measured. Because the cytokine secretion is

different according to each of the herb medicines, the measurement results of the IL-4

and IFN- Y on each of the herb medicines are represented by increase ratios of the

corresponding cytokines to the IL-4 and IFN- Y of the control. For example, if an

IFN- Y value is 1.5 as listed in the following Table 1, it is meant that an amount of the

cytokines in the well containing the herb medicines is higher than that of the cytokines

in the well devoid of the herb medicines as much as 1.5 times (when the same blood

sample was used in both the cases).

The herb medicines exhibiting undesirable results in the first measurement were

excluded, and then the same experiment was repeated using the remaining herb

medicines, except that a blood sample of another patient was used herein. The

experiments were also repeated in the same manner as described above until the reliable

results were obtained, except that blood samples of other patients were used very time.

In the following Tables 1 and 2, the term "Ratio " represents a ratio of an

IFN- Y value/an IL-4 value, and an amount of the secreted ThI cytokine is increased in

comparison to that of the secreted Th2 cytokine as the ratio increases, and therefore the

herb medicines having the high ratio of IFN- Y value/IL-4 value may be useful to treat

atopic dermatitis. The results of the herb medicines, which can be included in the

composition for treating atopic dermatitis according to the present invention, are listed in Table 1, and the results of some of the herb medicines, which were excluded in the

mentioned-above experiments, are listed in Table 2. Table 1

Table 2

As listed in Tables 1 and 2, it was understood that the herb medicines, selected

from the group consisting of Cassia obtusifolia Linne, Angelica tenuissima Nakai,

Agastache rugosa O. Kuntze, Platycodon grandiflorum A. De candole, Phragmites

communis Trinius, Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, Angelica gigas Nakai, Liriope platyphylla

Wang et Tang, Hordeum vulgare Linne, Saussurea lappa Clarke, Saposhnikovia

divaricata Schiskin, Dictamnus albus Linne, Angelica dahurica Bentham et Hooker,

Atractylodes japonica koidzumi, Loranthus parasiticus(L) Merr., Foeniculum vulgare

Miller, Dipsacus asperoides C. Y. Cheng et T. M. Ai, Cimicifuga heracleifolia Komarov,

var. ma-yuen stapf, Hoelen rubra, Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge, Cnidium

officinale Makino, Gastrodia elata Blume, Asparagus cochinchinensls Merrill,

Trichosanthes kirilowii Maximowicz, Celosia argentia Linne, Alisma orientale

Briquet, Sesamum indicum Linne and Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, stimulate secretion

of the ThI cytokine, IFN- Y , thereby to increase a ratio of "ThI cytokine/Th2 cytokine".

As a result, the herb medicines may be useful to treat atopic dermatitis.

Experimental example 2: Comparison of Cytokine Secretion

Some of the compositions according to the present invention were compared

with pimecrolimus which is a main component of Elidel Cream™ (Novartis Korea, Korea) as the therapeutic agent of atopy. The experiment was repeated in the same manner as described above in Experimental example 1, except that a 1 nM

pimecrolimus solution was used as a comparative control. The results are listed in the

following Table 3. Table 3

As listed in Table 3, it was revealed that the composition according to the

present invention has an excellent efficiency in stimulating the secretion of the ThI

cytokine, IFN- γ , to increase a ratio of "ThI cytokine/Th2 cytokine" in comparison to

the pimecrolimus that is the therapeutic agent of atopy. Accordingly, it was considered

that the composition according to the present invention is more useful to treat atopic

dermatitis.

Experimental example 3: Measurement of Effect on Treatment of Atopic

Dermatitis

In order to measure an effect on the treatment of atopic dermatitis, a hydrophilic ointment containing the composition of the present invention was prepared, as follows.

250 g of white vaseline and 200 g of stearyl alcohol were added to a water bath,

heat-melted, mixed, and then kept at 75 °C . Then, 1 g of methyl p-hydroxybenzoate, 1

g of propyl p-hydroxybenzoate, 120 g of prophylene glycol, 10 g of glyceryl

monosterate, 40 g of polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil 60 and 5 g of the

freeze-dried powder of the herb medicine of the present invention as prepared in

Example 1 were added to the water bath, warmed to approximately 75 ^°C , and then a

suitable amount of the prepared distilled water was added thereto and stirred vigorously.

The total weight was adjusted to 1,000 g, vigorously stirred once more to obtain an

emulsifying solution, and then stirred while cooling until the emulsifying solution

became hard.

< Measurement of Effect on Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis >

The hydrophilic ointment containing the composition of the present invention prepared as described above was spread on the test sites of a patient' skin for 5 months

to measure whether or not the atopic dermatitis is alleviated. The results obtained

using Alisma orientale Juzepczuk were shown in FIGs. 1 and 2; the results obtained using Cnidium officinale Makino were shown in FIGs. 3 and 4; the results obtained

using Coiz lacryma-jobi Linne var. ma-yuen stapf were shown in FIGs. 5 and 6; the

results obtained using Angelica dahurica Bentham et Hooker were shown in FIGs. 7 and

8; the results obtained using Liriope platyphylla Wang et Tang were shown in FIGs. 9 and 10; the results obtained using the results obtained using Platycodon grandiflorum A.

De candole were shown in FIGs. 11 and 12; the results obtained using Asparagus cochinchinensls Merrill were shown in FIGs. 13 and 14; the results obtained using Agastache rugosa O. Kuntze were shown in FIGs. 15 and 16; the results obtained using

Angelica gigas Nakai were shown in FIGs. 17 and 18; the results obtained using

Atractylodes japonica koidzumi were shown in FIGs. 19 and 20; the results obtained

using Schizonepeta tenuifolia Briquet were shown in FIGs. 21 and 22; the results

obtained using Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi were shown in FIGs. 23 and 24; and the

results obtained using Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge were shown in FIGs. 25 and

26, respectively. In the drawings, FIG. 1, FIG. 3, FIG. 5, FIG. 7, FIG. 9, FIG. 11, FIG.

13, FIG. 15, FIG. 17, FIG. 19, FIG. 21, FIG. 23 and FIG. 25 show photographs taken

before the treatment of atopic dermatitis, and FIG. 2, FIG. 4, FIG. 6, FIG. 8, FIG. 10,

FIG. 12, FIG. 14, FIG. 16, FIG. 18, FIG. 20, FIG. 22, FIG. 24 and FIG. 26 show

photographs taken after the treatment of atopic dermatitis.

As seen from each of the photograph results, it was revealed that the

composition of the present invention has an excellent efficiency in treating atopic

dermatitis.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention provides a composition containing a herb medicine for

treating atopic dermatitis, the composition being useful to treat atopic dermatitis, and

the composition for treating atopic dermatitis is safe for human beings since the herb medicines, which have been generally used and proven to be safe, are used herein.

Claims

What is claimed is;

1. A composition for treating atopic dermatitis, comprising at least one herb

medicine selected from the group consisting of Cassia obtusifolia Linne, Angelica

tenuissima Nakai, Agastache rugosa O. Kuntze, Platycodon grandiflorum A. De candole,

Phragmites communis Trinius, Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, Angelica gigas Nakai, Liriope platyphylla Wang et Tang, Hordeum vulgare Linne, Saussurea lappa Clarke,

Saposhnikovia divaricata Schiskin, Dictamnus albus Linne, Angelica dahurica Bentham

et Hooker, Atractylodes japonica koidzumi, Loranthus parasiticus(L) Merr., Foeniculum

vulgare Miller, Dipsacus asperoides C. Y. Cheng et T. M. Ai, Cimicifuga heracleifolia

Komarov, Massa Medicata Fermentata, Cistanche deserticola Y. C. Ma, Coiz

lacryma-jobi Linne var. ma-yuen stapf, Hoelen rubra, Anemarrhena asphodeloides

Bunge, Cnidium officinale Makino, Gastrodia elata Blume, Asparagus cochinchinensls

Merrill, Trichosanthes kirilowii Maximowicz, Celosia argentia Linne, Alisma orientale

Briquet, Sesamum indicum Linne and Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi.

2. The composition for treating atopic dermatitis according to claim 1 ,

wherein the herb medicine is at least one selected from the group consisting of Agastache rugosa O. Kuntze, Angelica gigas Nakai, Atractylodes japonica koidzumi, Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge, Asparagus cochinchinensls Merrill, Schizonepeta

tenuifolia Briquet and Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi.

3. The composition for treating atopic dermatitis according to claim 2,

wherein the herb medicine includes at least one selected from the group

consisting of Atractylodes japonica koidzumi, Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge,

Schizonepeta tenuifolia Briquet and Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi.

4. The composition for treating atopic dermatitis according to any of claims

I to 3, wherein the atopic dermatitis is treated by enhancing an amount of the secreted

Th2 cytokine, compared to the secreted ThI cytokine.