J

The preventive effects of 10 phenolic compounds and 9 non-phenolic antioxidants on mouse contact dermatitis were investigated using an animal disease model of oxazolone-induced mouse ear edema in this study.　With percutaeous administration of phenolic compounds at the challenge at a dose of 0.13 mg/ear, the anti-contact dermatitis activities were significantly correlated with the Fe2+-chelating activities but not with the O2-・-scavenging activities.　In particular, compounds having galloyl moieties in their chemical structures, such as (-)-epicatechin gallate, (-)-epigallocatechin gallate, and 1,2,3,4,6-pentagalloyl glucose, showed strong anti-contact dermatitis activities and Fe2+-chelating activities.　Among non-phenolic antioxidants, iron-chelators, hydroxyl radical-scavengers, and a lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase inhibitor showed significant anti-contact dermatitis activities in mice.　Administration of iron (III) chloride inversely enhanced mouse contact dermatitis.　The percutaeous administration of non-phenolic iron-chelators and (-)-epigallocatechin gallate also showed significant anti-inflammatory activities in a mouse model of arachidonic acid-induced ear edema.　Therefore, the iron-chelating activities of some phenolic and non-phenolic compounds are thought to be extremely effective for the prevention of the inflammation caused by oxazolone-induced contact dermatitis in mice.