indigo-carmine and Psoriasis

In recent years, there are increasing that the number of patients with psoriasis day by day, and it has become a common disease endangering public health. However, there is no specific cure for psoriasis or control of recurrence. Therefore, it's necessity to seek alternative and efficient therapy, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). As a TCM and effective medicine for the treatment of psoriasis, Indigo Naturalis (Baphicacanthus Cusia (Nees) Bremek.) has the effect of clearing heat, detoxifying blood, eliminating spots, reducing fire and calming panic, and it is used in many classical prescriptions for the treatment of psoriasis.. To review the latest progress and strategies of Indigo Naturalis in the treatment of psoriasis. This manuscript mainly clarifies the traditional medicinal applications, the mechanism of action and application strategies of Indigo Naturalis, and its preparations in the treatment of psoriasis.. Detailed information on Indigo Naturalis was collected from various online databases (PubMed, GeenMedical, Web of Science, Google Scholar, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, and National Intellectual Property Administration).. This manuscript reviews a great deal of information about how Indigo Naturalis can treat psoriasis through immune cells, signal pathways and disease-related mediators. The mechanism of cymbididae is expounded from the aspects of regulating keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation, regulating inflammatory infiltration of cellular immune system and improving microvascular dilation and hyperplasia in skin lesions.. The action mechanisms of Indigo Naturalis on psoriasis reflect the characteristics of multiple components, multiple targets, and multiple pathways of Traditional Chinese medicine. However, some pharmacological and clinical research methods are improper, so that the results are difficult to explain at present. Therefore, further in-depth research is needed to provide knowledge in a wider range of areas to confirm the great therapeutic potential of Indigo Naturalis.

Topics: Acanthaceae; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Humans; Indigo Carmine; Indigofera; Psoriasis

In the treatment of nail psoriasis, standardized therapeutic regimens are currently lacking.. To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of indigo naturalis oil extract in patients with nail psoriasis.. Patients with nail psoriasis applied indigo naturalis oil extract on affected nails twice daily for 24 weeks. Efficacy was evaluated using the Nail Psoriasis Severity Index (NAPSI) and modified target NAPSI for the single most severely affected nail.. Twenty-eight out of 32 patients completed the study. The mean NAPSI was 36.1 ± 14.7 at baseline and decreased to 14.9 ± 11.1 at week 24 while the mean modified target NAPSI was 11.7 ± 3.9 at baseline and decreased to 3.6 ± 3.2 at week 24.. Indigo naturalis oil extract appeared to improve nail psoriasis. Although preliminary, these results indicate that it could provide a novel therapeutic option for nail psoriasis, a disease notoriously difficult to treat.

Topics: Adult; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Female; Humans; Indigo Carmine; Indoles; Male; Medicine, Chinese Traditional; Middle Aged; Nail Diseases; Oils; Pilot Projects; Psoriasis; Severity of Illness Index; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of treatment with indigo naturalis in patients with recalcitrant plaque-type psoriasis.. Randomized, observer-blind, vehicle-controlled, intrapatient comparison study.. Ambulatory department of a hospital.. Forty-two outpatients with chronic plaque psoriasis were enrolled in the study from May 1, 2004, to April 30, 2005.. The patients applied either indigo naturalis ointment or vehicle ointment topically to each of 2 bilaterally symmetrical psoriatic plaque lesions for 12 weeks (depending on the date of enrollment in the study).. The outcomes were assessed using the following criteria: the sum of erythema, scaling, and induration scores and the clearing percentage of the target plaque lesion assessed by 2 blinded observers.. Significant reductions in the sum of scaling, erythema, and induration scores (P < .001) (mean score, 6.3 after indigo naturalis treatment vs 12.8 in control subjects) and plaque area percentage (P < .001) (mean percentage, 38.5% after indigo naturalis treatment vs 90% in controls) were achieved with topical application of indigo naturalis ointment. Approximately 31 of 42 patients (74%) experienced clearance or near clearance of their psoriasis in the indigo ointment-treated lesion.. Topical indigo naturalis ointment was a novel, safe, and effective therapy for plaque-type psoriasis.

Topics: Administration, Topical; Adolescent; Adult; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Administration Schedule; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Indigo Carmine; Indigofera; Indoles; Male; Middle Aged; Ointments; Phytotherapy; Probability; Psoriasis; Recurrence; Reference Values; Risk Assessment; Severity of Illness Index; Single-Blind Method; Taiwan; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult

It has been reported in the Chinese literature that indigo naturalis exhibits potential antipsoriatic effects in systemic therapy.. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of topically applied indigo naturalis on treating plaque-type psoriasis and to analyze the histological change in skin tissues.. Fourteen patients with chronic plaque psoriasis were enrolled. The patients were topically applied with either indigo naturalis ointment or vehicle ointment on contralateral skin lesions daily for 8 weeks. Efficacy was evaluated on the basis of the clinical scores, including induration, scaling, erythema and clearing percentage. At the end of treatment, skin punch biopsies were taken and prepared for the immunohistochemical analysis.. A significant reduction in clinical scores was achieved with topically applied indigo naturalis ointment. Analysis of biopsies showed a marked improvement of skin histology. The expressions of proliferating marker Ki-67 and inflammatory marker CD3 were decreased, but the differentiation marker such as filaggrin was increased in the epidermis after indigo naturalis ointment treatment.. The results suggest that topical application of indigo naturalis ointment may be a novel, safe and effective therapy for psoriasis that is mediated, at least in part, by modulating the proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes in epidermis, as well as by inhibiting the infiltration of T lymphocytes and therefore the subsequent inflammatory reactions in psoriatic lesions.

Topics: Administration, Topical; Adult; Biopsy; Cell Proliferation; Chronic Disease; Coloring Agents; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Female; Filaggrin Proteins; Humans; Indigo Carmine; Indoles; Keratinocytes; Male; Middle Aged; Ointments; Psoriasis; Skin; Treatment Outcome

Traditional Chinese medicine( TCM) processing is a traditional pharmaceutical technology unique to China,which is an important means to ensure the safety and effectiveness of clinical medication. As China' s intangible cultural heritage,it contains a wealth of wisdom. With the evolution and optimization of processing methods,Indigo Naturalis,an ancient dye,has gradually become an effective medicine for the treatment of high fever in children,colitis,psoriasis,and leukemia. However,the quality of Indigo Naturalis pieces is difficult to be fundamentally improved due to the unique traditional processing method,complex technology,unclear principle,and outdated equipment. After spending 20 years in exploring the inheritance,innovation,and transformation of ancient lawtheory-principle-technology-equipment-quality control in Indigo Naturalis processing,our research group has basically expounded the processing principle and realized the modern expression and industrial transformation of traditional technology. As China enters a new era,the TCM industry has begun to undergo the high-quality transformation. It is urgent to carry out new excavations and improve the processing,quality,and clinical application of Indigo Naturalis pieces,to better inherit and innovate traditional processing technologies and meet people's demand for high-quality TCM health services.

Topics: Child; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Humans; Indigo Carmine; Indigofera; Medicine, Chinese Traditional; Psoriasis

Topics: Double-Blind Method; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Ecosystem; Humans; Indigo Carmine; Indoles; Malassezia; Metabolome; Psoriasis

Topical indigo naturalis ointment is clinically proved to be an effective therapy for plaque-type psoriasis. Indirubin, as the active component of indigo naturalis, inhibits cell proliferation of epidermal keratinocytes. However, the detailed underlying mechanism is not fully understood.. To further investigate the anti-proliferating effects of indigo naturalis and indirubin on epidermal keratinocytes.. The decreased expression of CDC25B in indigo naturalis- or indirubin-treated epidermal keratinocytes, as revealed by cDNA microarray analysis, was studied. The CDC25B expression was examined under different serum concentrations and compared between primary and immortalized keratinocytes. The activation of EGFR and the effect of EGF on the cell proliferation and CDC25B expression were also investigated in epidermal keratinocytes. RT/real-time PCR and western blot method were used to analyze the CDC25B expression at the mRNA and protein levels, respectively.. Indigo naturalis and indirubin were confirmed to down-regulate CDC25B expression significantly at both the mRNA and protein levels. The growth-dependent expression of CDC25B was demonstrated by the increased expression in serum-stimulated and immortalized keratinocytes. The activation of EGF receptor, known to be highly expressed in psoriatic lesions, was inhibited by indigo naturalis or indirubin. The cell proliferation and CDC25B expression of epidermal keratinocytes were induced by EGF alone and confirmed to be inhibited by indigo naturalis or indirubin.. Except being a common therapeutic target in various cancers, CDC25B also plays an important role in the hyper-proliferation of epidermal keratinocytes which can be suppressed by anti-psoriatic drug indigo naturalis and its component, indirubin.

Topics: cdc25 Phosphatases; Cell Proliferation; DNA, Complementary; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Epidermal Cells; Epidermal Growth Factor; Epidermis; ErbB Receptors; Gene Expression Regulation; Humans; Indigo Carmine; Indoles; Keratinocytes; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; Plant Extracts; Psoriasis; Skin; Time Factors; Transfection

Topics: Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Humans; Indigo Carmine; Indoles; Nail Diseases; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts; Psoriasis

By analysing the clinical features of Indigo Naturalis-associated ischemic lesion of colon mucosa to improve the precautionary and therapeutic level of the disease.. Thirteen patients diagnosed as Indigo Naturalis-associated ischemic lesion of colon mucosa in Peking University Third Hospital from 2005 to 2010 were reviewed. The endoscopic and clinical features were analysed.. The 13 patients with an average age of (60.6 ± 14.1) years old were prescribed Chinese traditional medicine containing Indigo Naturalis for psoriasis or idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). The ratio of males to females was 1:1.6. The typical manifestations were abdominal pain and bloody stool with watering diarrhea before bloody stool in 61.5% patients. Endoscopic and pathological characteristics were coincident with ischemic lesion and more like a chronic index. Vasodilatic medicine was effective and the average hemostatic time was (1.7 ± 0.8) days. The prognosis was well and no recurrence was found during 3 months follow-up.. Patients having psoriasis or ITP treated with Chinese traditional medicine containing Indigo Naturalis have an inclination to colon mucosa lesions, even ischemic lesion. Careful assessment and observation before prescribing are necessary in these patients.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Colon; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Endoscopy; Female; Humans; Indigo Carmine; Indoles; Intestinal Diseases; Intestinal Mucosa; Male; Middle Aged; Psoriasis; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic

Indigo naturalis has shown efficacy in treating psoriasis in our previous clinical studies.. To investigate the potential effect of indigo naturalis on regulating keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation.. Skin samples from six patients were analyzed for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and involucrin expression by immunohistochemical staining. In addition, indigo naturalis extracts from 10 to 500 microg/ml were added to cultured keratinocytes and cell viability determined. Real-time RT-PCR, Western blotting analysis and indirect immunofluorescent labeling were used to investigate the messenger (m)RNA and protein expressions of PCNA and involucrin. Finally, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to identify major components of indigo naturalis and their in vitro effects compared.. Immunohistochemical results demonstrated decreased PCNA and increased involucrin in psoriatic lesions after indigo naturalis treatment. Cultured keratinocytes decreased after indigo naturalis treatment, while G(0)/G(1) arrest was observed to dose-dependently increase. Staining revealed decreased PCNA-stained nuclei and increased cytosolic involucrin in treated keratinocytes. Decreased PCNA and increased involucrin at both the mRNA and protein levels were confirmed. Both major components, indirubin and indigo, could cause G(0)/G(1) phase arrest; however, only indirubin modulated the expressions of PCNA and involucrin similar to indigo naturalis.. Together, these findings indicate that the anti-psoriatic effects of indigo naturalis are mediated, at least in part, by modulating the proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes, with indirubin as the major active component.

Topics: Cell Cycle; Cell Survival; Cells, Cultured; Dermatologic Agents; Down-Regulation; Gene Expression; Humans; Indigo Carmine; Indigofera; Indoles; Keratinocytes; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; Protein Precursors; Psoriasis

Topics: Adult; Animals; Colitis; Colon; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Female; Humans; Indigo Carmine; Indoles; Male; Middle Aged; Phytotherapy; Psoriasis; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley