Abstract
Effects of topical corticosteroid on mast cell population and histamine concentration in rat skin were studied. The materials, methods and the results were as follows. Ten rats were treated with a daily dose of 0.2g of 0.025% beclometasone dipropionate cream and 0.2g of cream base as control, percutaneously, for 20 successive days. Biopsy specimens of the skin were obtained at 21 days and immediately divided into two. Half were used for histamine assay by fluorimetric analysis and the other half for microscopical studies and mast cell counts. Application of 0.025% B-D cream resulted in a significantly lower mast cell counts (P<0.05) and a significantly lower histamine concentration (P<0.01), compared with control. These findings suggest that effects of corticosteroid on mast cells play a role in the antiinflammatory actions.
