indigo-carmine and Skin-Diseases

This study aims to evaluate the pharmacological role of indigo extract in accelerating the wound healing in a rat model.. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized with ketamine (30 mg/kg, i.p.) and the full thickness of the marked skin was then cut carefully and wounds were left undressed. Indigo extract (5%) in PBS was applied topically twice daily until healing was complete. A control group of rats was treated with povidone-iodide (Betadine®). Rats treated with phosphate buffer saline were used as a negative control group. The rate of wound healing was assessed daily. Histopathological examination of skin sections were qualitatively assessed by independent evaluators. The inflammatory and apoptotic markers were assessed in skin tissue homogenates using ELISA.. Histopathology data showed that applying indigo to skin wounds enhanced the healing process, resulting in a significant decrease in dermal inflammation in comparison to untreated rats. Topical application of indigo significantly increased antioxidant enzyme activities with reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in wound tissues. The levels of matrix metalloproteases-2 and -9 were significantly lower with an accompanied increase in the level of TGF-β1 in skin tissues from rats treated with indigo compared to the control group treated with PBS.. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of indigo leaf extract accelerate the healing of skin injuries.

Topics: Animals; Antioxidants; Indigo Carmine; Plant Extracts; Plant Leaves; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Skin Diseases; Wound Healing

A purple pigment, phyriaviolin, and a blue pigment, phyriaazulin, have been found in relatively large amounts in the urine of patients suffering from two diverse pathological conditions, porphyria cutanea tarda and Crohn's disease. The two pigments have been characterised by chemical, spectroscopic, and chromatographic studies and identified to be indirubin and indigo (indigotin). Possible reasons for their formation are discussed.

Topics: Chromatography, Thin Layer; Crohn Disease; Humans; Indigo Carmine; Indoles; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Pigments, Biological; Porphyrias; Skin Diseases

The commonly encountered cardiovascular effects of intravenous indigo carmine administration is transient alpha-receptor stimulation, namely increased total peripheral resistance, diastolic and systolic blood pressure, and central venous pressure with decreased cardiac output, stroke volume and heart rate. These usually cause no problems and frequently go undetected unless the patient is monitored closely during that brief interval. However, significant problems occur occasionally and its use is not totally without risks.

Topics: Aged; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Electrocardiography; Hemodynamics; Humans; Indigo Carmine; Indoles; Male; Prostatectomy; Skin Diseases