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International Journal of Clinical and... 2015Scutellaria baicalensis is a Chinese herbal medicine that has been used for centuries to treat psoriasis. Baicalin is one of the major flavonoids and bioactive...
BACKGROUND
Scutellaria baicalensis is a Chinese herbal medicine that has been used for centuries to treat psoriasis. Baicalin is one of the major flavonoids and bioactive components of S. baicalensis and is responsible for the pharmacologic actions of the plant.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect and keratinocyte differentiation-inducing activity of baicalin in vivo.
METHODS
Baicalin was formulated into topical creams at concentrations of 1%, 3%, and 5%. The anti-inflammatory effect of baicalin cream was evaluated in 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB)-induced contact hypersensitivity (CHS) mice, and its keratinocyte-modulating action was assessed using the mouse tail model for psoriasis.
RESULTS
During the topical application of baicalin cream, no evidence of irritant effect was observed in both tests. In the inflammation model, mice exposed to baicalin cream displayed a reduction in DNFB-induced CHS responses compared with vehicle-treated animals, showing that the topical application of baicalin cream exerted an anti-inflammatory effect. In the second model, baicalin cream dose-dependently increased the orthokeratosis of granular layers and the relative epidermal thickness of mouse tail skin, indicative of the keratinocyte differentiation-inducing activity of this topical preparation.
CONCLUSIONS
Taking the in vivo findings together, the present study indicated that baicalin cream may be a promising antipsoriatic agent worthy of further investigation for psoriasis treatment.
PubMed: 25932143
DOI: No ID Found -
Dermatopathology (Basel, Switzerland) 2015Wong-type dermatomyositis (DM) exhibits simultaneous pityriasis rubra pilaris (PRP) features.
BACKGROUND
Wong-type dermatomyositis (DM) exhibits simultaneous pityriasis rubra pilaris (PRP) features.
CASE REPORT
A 50-year-old woman presented with a heliotrope rash, Gottron's papules, and a poikilodermic, erythematous rash in shawl distribution without evidence of muscle weakness. Despite topical corticosteroids, the eruption progressed 9 months later to include generalized hyperkeratotic follicular papules, islands of sparing, and atrophic macules with a collarette of scale suggestive of porokeratosis. Mild dysphonia was the only sign of muscle weakness. Serology showed positive ANA. Histopathology revealed interface dermatitis with dermal mucin and melanophages, irregular psoriasiform hyperplasia, alternating mounds of para- and orthokeratosis, and tiers of dyskeratotic cells (columnar dyskeratosis). Systemic corticosteroid therapy was not tolerated; acitretin diminished the hyperkeratosis. While hyperpigmentation persisted, no progression of cutaneous or muscular symptoms has occurred after 22 months of follow-up and cessation of the therapy. Overall, her course did not differ from the natural history documented in the literature review of Wong-type DM. The most similar case also exhibited pseudocornoid lamella changes.
CONCLUSION
Wong-type DM is a clinicopathologic DM-PRP hybrid that can also exhibit porokeratosis-like features best described as columnar dyskeratosis. Recognizing these types of lesions in DM is warranted in order to make an accurate assessment of their prognostic significance.
PubMed: 27047930
DOI: 10.1159/000371573 -
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology Sep 1975The activity of ICDH(NAD) was measured in subcorneal and basal epidermal layers in 8 patients with psoriasis and in 7 healthy controls treated once a day with 0.15%...
The activity of ICDH(NAD) was measured in subcorneal and basal epidermal layers in 8 patients with psoriasis and in 7 healthy controls treated once a day with 0.15% dithranol in white petrolatum for 2 weeks. Skin biopsies were taken before and on days 2, 6, and 14 of the treatment. Lowry's microtechniques were used in conjunction with a bioluminescent system (bacterial luciferase) for enzymatic assays. The enzymic activity could be related to the type of keratinization present in the stratum corneum overlying the epidermal areas under study. In orthokeratotic areas from the controls, in noninvolved, and in treated involved skin the activity was low. In parakeratotic areas, as found in treated noninvolved and in involved psoriatic skin, the enzymic activity was increased to a level at least twice that found in orthokeratosis. Since ICDH(NAD) activity reflects an aspect of mitochondrial function, the results suggest that mitochondrial activity may be important in control of keratinization.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Anthracenes; Anthralin; Humans; Isocitrate Dehydrogenase; Keratins; Keratosis; Middle Aged; Mitochondria; NAD; Parakeratosis; Psoriasis; Skin
PubMed: 169306
DOI: 10.1111/1523-1747.ep12598377 -
Journal of Korean Medical Science Feb 2004We report two cases of lichen planus pigmentosus (LPP) that developed in a unilateral linear pattern. The patients presented with unilateral linear brown macules on the...
We report two cases of lichen planus pigmentosus (LPP) that developed in a unilateral linear pattern. The patients presented with unilateral linear brown macules on the extremities. Skin biopsy showed orthokeratosis, basal hydropic degeneration with scarce lymphohistiocytic infiltrates, and numerous melanophages in both patients. These patients, to the best of our knowledge, are the first cases of LPP presenting with a linear pattern. LPP should be considered in the differential diagnosis of linear hyperpigmented skin lesions.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Biopsy; Female; Humans; Hyperpigmentation; Lichen Planus; Skin
PubMed: 14966361
DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2004.19.1.152 -
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology Oct 1990A method is described for maintaining the epidermal structure of normal rabbit ear skin explants in organ culture for up to 12 weeks. Split-thickness skin specimens were...
A method is described for maintaining the epidermal structure of normal rabbit ear skin explants in organ culture for up to 12 weeks. Split-thickness skin specimens were put in diffusion chambers made of either millipore filters or bovine collagen membranes, and then submitted to a roller tube culture at 15 rpm and 36 degrees C. The culture medium was Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) supplemented with 20% fetal calf serum (FCS) + 0.4 micrograms/ml hydrocortisone. The gas used in the culture tube was air + 5% CO2. Autoradiography revealed the incorporation of [3H]-glycine into the 68-kD keratin band of explants for up to 12 weeks, indicating that normal keratinization was maintained throughout the entire culture period. The turnover time of the epidermis from basal layer to granular layer was around 7 d in both the early and late stages of culture. The addition of epidermal growth factor (EGF) to the culture caused the epidermis to become acanthotic with orthokeratosis, but with high concentrations of EGF (greater than or equal to 10 ng/ml) parakeratosis and increased proliferation of the epidermis occurred. Dexamethasone (DMS) strongly inhibited the EGF effect.
Topics: Animals; Autoradiography; Cell Division; DNA Replication; Epidermal Cells; Epidermal Growth Factor; Epidermis; Glycine; Keratins; Kinetics; Organ Culture Techniques; Rabbits; Skin; Thymidine; Time Factors; Tritium
PubMed: 1698885
DOI: 10.1111/1523-1747.ep12555492