Fig. 1

Effects of acupuncture treatment on atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions and chronic persistent itch in MC903-induced atopic dermatitis mice. A Time-course of atopic dermatitis-like lesion severity. The severity of skin lesion symptoms (erythema, xerosis and excoriation) was evaluated macroscopically on days 3, 7 and 11. B, C Time-course of scratching behaviors. Total time spent B and number C of scratching for 30 min were quantified on days 3, 7 and 11. D Measurements of the epidermal thickness from the hematoxylin and eosin–stained sections are shown in Additional file 1: Fig. S1. NOR untreated control group, MC903 MC903-induced atopic dermatitis group, pAP MC903- and preventive acupuncture-treated group, tAP MC903- and therapeutic acupuncture-treated group, CP MC903- and acupuncture at control point (non-acupoint)-treated group. All data are presented as mean ± SD, n = 6 mice/group. ***p < 0.001 vs. NOR group; ^##p < 0.01, ^###p < 0.001 vs. MC903 group; ^††p < 0.01, ^†††p < 0.001 vs. pAT group; ^‡‡ p < 0.01, ^‡‡‡ p < 0.001 vs. tAT group