Potential Relevance of Bidens pilosa L. to Atopic Dermatitis: Mechanistic Evidence, Drug Development Challenges, and Future Perspectives

Abstract

Abstract Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by epidermal barrier dysfunction, immune dysregulation, oxidative stress, microbial dysbiosis, and persistent inflammation. Although current therapies have improved disease management, long-term treatment remains challenging because of disease relapse, adverse effects, treatment costs, and variability in therapeutic response. These challenges have stimulated interest in botanical agents with diverse phytochemical profiles and potentially complementary biological activities. Bidens pilosa L. has attracted attention because of its diverse phytochemical composition and reported anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, and immunomodulatory activities. This narrative review integrates phytochemical, pharmacological, computational, safety, and pharmaceutical evidence to examine the potential relevance of B. pilosa to AD and the challenges associated with its further development. Available evidence indicates that B. pilosa-derived preparations and individual phytoconstituents exhibit multiple biological activities relevant to inflammatory, oxidative, immune, and microbial processes involved in AD. While most pharmacological studies of B. pilosa have been conducted in general inflammatory or non-dermatological models, several AD-relevant studies of individual phytoconstituents reported in B. pilosa provide additional mechanistic support. Computational studies further suggest potential interactions between selected phytoconstituents and AD-related molecular targets, providing hypotheses for further experimental investigation. Overall, the available evidence supports the potential relevance of B. pilosa to AD and provides a rationale for further development, while recognizing the need for greater validation of standardized preparations in AD-specific models. Future studies should prioritize phytochemical standardization, validated AD models, dermal safety assessment, topical formulation development, and clinical evaluation.