Skip to content
DraconiticResearch
Search Sources API
203,234 studies31 sourcesUpdated 27 min ago
Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Frontiers in Pharmacology

A four-herb topical formula attenuates psoriasis-like skin inflammation by suppressing IL-17-mediated inflammation and pathogenic γδT17 cell infiltration

  • Chun-Yao Cheng1,2
  • Ping Chen3
  • Dao-Syuan Wu3
  • Hung-Rong Yen3,4,5,6,7
  • Mei-Yun Chu4,5
  • Shu-Cheng Tseng8
  • Chia-Lin Lee5,9,10
  • Chuan-Teng Liu4,5
  • Ying-Chyi Song2,4,5,11
11 affiliations
  1. 1Department of Chinese Medicine, Taichung Tzu Chi Hospital
  2. 2Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University
  3. 3School of Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University
  4. 4Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital
  5. 5Chinese Medicine Research Center, China Medical University
  6. 6Department of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital
  7. 7Office of Research and Development, Asia University
  8. 8Department of Clinical Research Center of Integrated Medicine, Taichung Tzu Chi Hospital
  9. 9Department of Cosmeceutics, China Medical University
  10. 10Drug Development Research Unit, Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, China Medical University Hospital
  11. 11Department of Chinese Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chinese Medicine Resources, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University
Open at sourcePDFDOICite

Abstract

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease driven by dysregulation of IL-17-mediated immune responses. Current topical therapies, including corticosteroids, are limited by long-term side effects, creating demand for safer alternatives. DH-YH is a novel four-herb Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formula derived from Duhuo Jisheng Tang, comprising Angelica pubescens , Gentiana macrophylla , Taxillus chinensis , and Paeonia lactiflora . Based on an initial clinical observation of improvement following topical DH-YH treatment in a patient with psoriasis, this study investigated its immunomodulatory effects in psoriasis-related models.

Methods: The anti-inflammatory effects of DH-YH were assessed in vitro using IL-17A-stimulated human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells) and LPS-activated bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) and RAW264.7 macrophages. The effects on T-cell polarization were evaluated in murine splenic CD4 ⁺ T cells differentiated toward Th1, Th2, and Th17 lineages. In vivo , an imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like mouse model (BALB/c, n = 5/group) was used to evaluate topical DH-YH ointment. Skin histopathology (H&E staining) and multi-organ flow cytometric analysis (skin, spleen, and lymph nodes) were performed to assess epidermal thickness, inflammatory infiltration, and immune cell subset frequencies.

Results: Topical DH-YH ointment markedly improved psoriatic lesions in a clinical case without hepatorenal toxicity. In vitro , DH-YH dose-dependently suppressed IL-8 secretion in IL-17A-stimulated HaCaT cells and inhibited TNF-α and IL-6 production in LPS-activated BMDCs. DH-YH also significantly reduced Th17 and Th2 cell differentiation without affecting cell viability. In the IMQ-induced mouse model, topical DH-YH significantly reduced epidermal thickness and dermal inflammatory cell infiltration. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that DH-YH specifically decreased the proportions of CD45 ⁺ , CD3 ⁺ , γδT, and γδT17 cells in lesional skin.

Conclusion: DH-YH attenuates psoriasis-related inflammatory responses across multiple cellular and immune components, including keratinocyte inflammatory responses, BMDC cytokine production, T helper cell differentiation, and γδT17 cell accumulation.

Related

  1. Mitochondria as immunometabolic hubs in psoriasis: pathogenic mechanisms and therapeutic prospects
    Fangru Zhao, Yaoxing Guo, Xin Tong +5
    Frontiers in ImmunologyPeer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Full textImmunologyCrossrefDOAJEurope PMC
  2. L-Citrulline Attenuates Keratinocyte Activation and Modulates ASS1 Expression in Psoriasis-Like Mice.
    Shuang Yang, Yang Chen, Zhuli Li +4
    Drug design, development and therapyPeer-reviewedCC BY-NCFull textImmunologyEurope PMCPMC
  3. Forsythoside B attenuates neuropathic pain by suppressing USP7/HIF-1α-mediated microglial glycolytic reprogramming
    Z. Dai, H. Wang, Y. Yang
    bioRxivPreprintCC BYFull textNeurosciencebioRxiv
  4. Qingjin Desheng Pian attenuates NSCLC progression by suppressing neutrophil extracellular trap formation: involvement of the HMGB1/TLR2/MyD88 axis
    Bingbing Qin, Shangyi Huang, Chenlu Ma +3
    Frontiers in ImmunologyPeer-reviewedCC BY 4.0ImmunologyFrontiersCrossref
  5. Hydatid Cyst Fluid of Echinococcus granulosus Alleviates Experimental Ulcerative Colitis by Suppressing Inflammation and Oxidative Stress and Regulating the Gut Microbiota
    Xifeng Wang, Ayi Baota, Fei Wang +2
    International Journal of Molecular SciencesPeer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Full textGenetics & genomicsCrossrefEurope PMC

Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{cheng2026fourherb,
  title = {{A four-herb topical formula attenuates psoriasis-like skin inflammation by suppressing IL-17-mediated inflammation and pathogenic γδT17 cell infiltration}},
  author = {Chun-Yao Cheng and Ping Chen and Dao-Syuan Wu and Hung-Rong Yen and Mei-Yun Chu and Shu-Cheng Tseng and Chia-Lin Lee and Chuan-Teng Liu and Ying-Chyi Song},
  journal = {Frontiers in Pharmacology},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.3389/fphar.2026.1957818},
  url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2026.1957818/full},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - A four-herb topical formula attenuates psoriasis-like skin inflammation by suppressing IL-17-mediated inflammation and pathogenic γδT17 cell infiltration
AU  - Chun-Yao Cheng
AU  - Ping Chen
AU  - Dao-Syuan Wu
AU  - Hung-Rong Yen
AU  - Mei-Yun Chu
AU  - Shu-Cheng Tseng
AU  - Chia-Lin Lee
AU  - Chuan-Teng Liu
AU  - Ying-Chyi Song
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/28
JO  - Frontiers in Pharmacology
DO  - 10.3389/fphar.2026.1957818
UR  - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2026.1957818/full
AB  - Background: Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease driven by dysregulation of IL-17-mediated immune responses. Current topical therapies, including corticosteroids, are limited by long-term side effects, creating demand for safer alternatives. DH-YH is a novel four-herb Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formula derived from Duhuo Jisheng Tang, comprising Angelica pubescens , Gentiana macrophylla , Taxillus chinensis , and Paeonia lactiflora . Based on an initial clinical observation of improvement following topical DH-YH treatment in a patient with psoriasis, this study investigated its immunomodulatory effects in psoriasis-related models.  Methods: The anti-inflammatory effects of DH-YH were assessed in vitro using IL-17A-stimulated human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells) and LPS-activated bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) and RAW264.7 macrophages. The effects on T-cell polarization were evaluated in murine splenic CD4 ⁺ T cells differentiated toward Th1, Th2, and Th17 lineages. In vivo , an imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like mouse model (BALB/c, n = 5/group) was used to evaluate topical DH-YH ointment. Skin histopathology (H&E staining) and multi-organ flow cytometric analysis (skin, spleen, and lymph nodes) were performed to assess epidermal thickness, inflammatory infiltration, and immune cell subset frequencies.  Results: Topical DH-YH ointment markedly improved psoriatic lesions in a clinical case without hepatorenal toxicity. In vitro , DH-YH dose-dependently suppressed IL-8 secretion in IL-17A-stimulated HaCaT cells and inhibited TNF-α and IL-6 production in LPS-activated BMDCs. DH-YH also significantly reduced Th17 and Th2 cell differentiation without affecting cell viability. In the IMQ-induced mouse model, topical DH-YH significantly reduced epidermal thickness and dermal inflammatory cell infiltration. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that DH-YH specifically decreased the proportions of CD45 ⁺ , CD3 ⁺ , γδT, and γδT17 cells in lesional skin.  Conclusion: DH-YH attenuates psoriasis-related inflammatory responses across multiple cellular and immune components, including keratinocyte inflammatory responses, BMDC cytokine production, T helper cell differentiation, and γδT17 cell accumulation.
SN  - 1663-9812
ER  -