Objective To explore the effect of contact dermatitis induced by acupoint application on the asthma control level and its potential mechanism. Methods Forty-one patients with bronchial asthma treated with acupoint application in 2016 dog days were divided into contact dermatitis group and non-contact dermatitis group according to the contact dermatitis situation after acupoint application

observing the asthma control test（ACT） scores 3 months（November 2016） and 6 months（February 2017） after the end of treatment and in the same period of the previous year（November 2015 and February 2016）. Serum interferon-γ（IFN-γ） and interleukin-4（IL-4） levels were measured before and after treatment to calculate IFN-γ/IL-4. Results Compared with that in the own group in November 2015

the ACT scores increased in both groups in November 2016（P < 0. 05）; the ACT score in contact dermatitis group in February 2017 also increased compared with that in February 2016 in this group（P < 0. 05）. In the contact dermatitis group

the IL-4 level decreased after treatment（P < 0. 05）

but the IFN-γ level and IFN-γ/IL-4 had no significant difference（P > 0. 05） from those before treatment（P > 0. 05）. There was no significant difference in the levels of IL-4

IFN-γ and IFN-γ/IL-4 before and after treatment in the non-contact dermatitis group（P >0. 05）. Conclusion Contact dermatitis after acupoint application can improve asthma control in patients with bronchial asthma

better than non-contact dermatitis. The mechanism may be related to the inhibition of inflammation.