In humans, skin barrier dysfunction is thought to be responsible for enhanced penetration of allergens. Similar to conditions seen in humans, canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) is characterized by derangement of corneocytes and disorganization of intercellular lipids in the stratum corenum (SC) with decreased ceramide levels. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of a moisturizer containing ceramide on dogs with CAD. Dogs (n = 20, 3~8 years old) with mild to moderate clinical signs were recruited and applied a moisturizer containing ceramide for 4 weeks. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin hydration, pruritus index for canine atopic dermatitis (PICAD) scores, and canine atopic dermatitis extent and severity index (CADESI) scores of all dogs were evaluated. Skin samples from five dogs were also examined with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) using ruthenium tetroxide. TEWL, PICAD, and CADESI values decreased (p < 0.05) and skin hydration increased dramatically over time (p < 0.05). Electron micrographs showed that the skin barrier of all five dogs was partially restored (p < 0.05). In conclusion, these results demonstrated that moisturizer containing ceramide was effective for treating skin barrier dysfunction and CAD symptoms.
Animals ; Ceramides/*therapeutic use ; Cholesterol/*therapeutic use ; Dermatitis, Atopic/complications/drug therapy/physiopathology/*veterinary ; Dog Diseases/*drug therapy/etiology/physiopathology ; Dogs ; Emollients/*therapeutic use ; Epidermis/drug effects/physiopathology/ultrastructure ; Fatty Acids, Nonesterified/*therapeutic use ; Female ; Male ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission/veterinary ; Pruritus/drug therapy/etiology/physiopathology/veterinary ; Republic of Korea ; Ruthenium Compounds/chemistry ; Water Loss, Insensible/drug effects

In the present study, a new ceramide, namely 2S, 3R-4E, 8E-2-(heptadecanoylamino)-heptadeca-4, 8-diene-1, 3-diol (1), along with four known steroids, including 24-methylcholesta-5, 24(28)-diene-3β-ol (2), 24-methylcholesta-5, 24(28)-diene-3β-acetate (3), 4-methyl-24-methylcholesta-22-ene-3-ol (4), and cholesterol, was isolated and characterized from CHCl/MeOH extract of Cespitularia stolonifera. A new acetate derivative of compound 1, termed 2S, 3R-4E, 8E-2-(heptadecanoylamino)-heptadeca-4, 8-diene-1, 3-diacetate (1a), was also prepared in the present study. All the structures were established on the basis of modern spectroscopic techniques, including FT-IR, 1D, 2D-NMR, HRESI-MS, and GC-MS, in addition of chemical methods. (-)-Alloaromadendren, ledane, (1)-alloaromadendren oxide, isoaromadendrene epoxide and (-)-caryophellen oxide were identified from the n-hexane fraction using GC-MS. The extract and the two ceramides (1) and (1a) exhibited significant cytotoxic activity against lung cancer A549 cells, while the extract and the two steroids (2) and (3) exhibited significant cytotoxic activity against breast cancer MCF-7 cells. The CHCl/MeOH extract exhibited significant antiulcer activity in both ethanol and acetic acid induced ulcer models in rats, as evidenced by histopathological, histochemical, and biochemical examinations.
A549 Cells ; Acetic Acid ; Animals ; Anthozoa ; chemistry ; Anti-Ulcer Agents ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Antineoplastic Agents ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Biological Products ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Breast Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; Ceramides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Disease Models, Animal ; Ethanol ; Female ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; MCF-7 Cells ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; methods ; Rats ; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared ; methods ; Steroids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Ulcer ; chemically induced ; drug therapy