Phytotherapy and psoriasis: Complementary and alternative medications

The Immunoregulatory Effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine on Psoriasis via its Action on Interleukin: Advances and Considerations

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory cutaneous disease characterized by clinical manifestations of erythema and white scales. The pathogenesis of psoriasis is not yet clear. Despite a combination of hormonal therapy and physiotherapy used in Western medicine, the condition often relapses after withdrawal of drugs. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has therapeutic features and may be a clinically effective formula by regulating unbalanced immune systems, such as by targeting interleukins. In this paper, we review recent research about how Chinese medicine immunoregulates psoriasis via interleukins, and systematically summarizes the related mechanisms. There are three common pathways leading to psoriasis: (1) Th17 cells secrete IL-17, which is stimulated by IL-23; (2) Th1 cells secrete IL-21, TNF-[Formula: see text] and IFN-[Formula: see text], with the help of Th17 cells; (3) Th22 cells secrete IL-22 under the stimulation of Th17 cells. Clinical and experiment data indicate that TCM could modify psoriasis by antagonizing or regulating interleukin and IL-23/IL-17 axis to inhibit the main pathways.

Bitter apricot essential oil induces apoptosis of human HaCaT keratinocytes

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease that affects approximately 2% of the world's population. Conventional therapeutic approaches are not effective or necessarily safe for treating symptoms due to the serious side effects and resistance to currently prescribed drugs. Traditionally, in oriental medicine, apricot seed (Semen Armeniacae amarum) is used to treat skin diseases. However, the underlying mechanism of action has not been systematically elucidated. In the present study, the anti-proliferative effect of bitter apricot essential oil (BAEO) on cultured HaCaT cells was evaluated and the mechanism of action investigated. BAEO was isolated by hydrodistillation, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis identified benzaldehyde (75.35%), benzoic acid (6.21%) and mandelonitrile (5.38%). HaCaT cell growth, measured by sulforhodamine B assay (SRB), was inhibited by BAEO with an IC50 value of 142.45 μg/ml. Apoptosis of HaCaT cells treated with BAEO was detected by cell cycle, flow cytometry, and western blot analyses. These measurements revealed G0/G1 cell cycle arrest, elevated numbers of early and late stage apoptotic cells, and caspases-3/8/9 and PARP activation. Z-VAD-FMK, a broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor, attenuated BAEO-induced apoptosis. Also, increased Bax and decreased Bcl-2 levels suggest that BAEO-induced apoptosis is mediated through both death receptor and mitochondrial pathways. Moreover, reduced Rel/NF-κB levels suggest that BAEO-mediated apoptosis is also associated with inhibition of the NF-κB pathway. These data suggest that BAEO is a naturally occurring material that functions as a potent pro-apoptotic factor for human keratinocytes. Thus, it is a promising candidate to treat psoriasis.