phenanthrenes and Psoriasis

Apart from cancer chronic (auto)immune-mediated diseases are a major threat for patients and a challenge for physicians. These conditions include classic autoimmune diseases like systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis and dermatomyositis and also immune-mediated inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. Traditional therapies for these conditions include unspecific immunosuppressants including steroids and cyclophosphamide, more specific compounds such as ciclosporin or other drugs which are thought to act as immunomodulators (fumarates and intravenous immunoglobulins). With increasing knowledge about the underlying pathomechanisms of the diseases, targeted biologic therapies mainly consisting of anti-cytokine or anti-cytokine receptor agents have been developed. The latter have led to a substantial improvement of the induction of long term remission but drug costs are high and are not affordable in all countries. In China an extract of the herb Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F. (TwHF) is frequently used to treat autoimmune and/or inflammatory diseases due to its favourable cost-benefit ratio. Triptolide has turned out to be the active substance of TwHF extracts and has been shown to exert potent anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects in vitro and in vivo. There is increasing evidence for an immunomodulatory and partly immunosuppressive mechanism of action of triptolide. Thus, compounds such as triptolide or triptolide derivatives may have the potential to be developed as a new class of drugs for these diseases. In this review we summarize the published knowledge regarding clinical use, pharmacokinetics and the possible mode of action of triptolide in the treatment of inflammatory diseases with a particular focus on psoriasis.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Autoimmune Diseases; Diterpenes; Epoxy Compounds; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents; Inflammation; Phenanthrenes; Psoriasis; Tripterygium

To investigate the effects of triptolide tablet in the treatment of patients with psoriasis vulgaris.. By an open clinical study of 103 patients with psoriasis vulgaris. Psoriasis area severity index (PASI) was measured and recorded before and after treatment for efficacy evaluation.. Of the 103 patients, markedly effective was got in 41 (39.7%), improved in 37 (35.8%) and ineffective in 25 (24.5%), the total effective rate being 75.7%, and the adverse reaction was shown only in few patients with decreased WBC during the treatment period.. Triptolide tablet is effective for the treatment of psoriasis vulgaris during the one-year follow-up.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Diterpenes; Epoxy Compounds; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents; Male; Middle Aged; Phenanthrenes; Psoriasis; Tablets; Treatment Outcome

The discovery of new therapeutic drugs with the efficacious and safe ability to prevent epidermal hyperplasia is extremely urgent for psoriasis. Cryptotanshinone (CTS), an active component isolated from the root of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, has been reported to have antibacterial and antitumor effects. However, its effects on psoriasis have not been reported. Here, we investigated the therapeutic effects of CTS on imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriatic-like skin model and explored the underlying mechanisms. Our results revealed that CTS effectively alleviates IMQ-induced epidermal hyperplasia. In vitro studies also indicated that CTS potently inhibits the growth of keratinocytes. We further found that STAT3, a transcription factor for the cell growth, is the key mediator of CTS on the proliferation of keratinocytes. Taken together, our findings indicated that the curative effects of CTS on psoriasis are accomplished mainly through modulating STAT3, which providing evidences to develop CTS as a potential therapeutic agent for patients with psoriasis.

Topics: Animals; Cell Line; Cell Proliferation; Disease Models, Animal; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Epidermis; Humans; Hyperplasia; Imiquimod; Keratinocytes; Male; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Phenanthrenes; Psoriasis; STAT3 Transcription Factor

Topics: Animals; Diterpenes; Epoxy Compounds; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents; Phenanthrenes; Psoriasis

Dithranol and 'Psorox' were evaluated for granular layer induction in parakeratotic regions of mouse tail skin. The lack of this specific activity suggests that they both have different primary actions in the healing psoriatic lesion.

Topics: Animals; Anthracenes; Anthralin; Carbazoles; Cresols; Mice; Naphthalenes; Phenanthrenes; Phenols; Picolines; Psoriasis; Pyridines; Quinolines; Skin; Tars; Toluene; Xylenes