The therapeutic potentials of the ethanol extract of Artemisia capillaris (ACE) for psoriasis were verified in HaCaT cells (as an immortalized human keratinocyte cell line) and imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like mouse models. In HaCaT cells, IC value of ACE was 37.5 μg/ml after incubating for 72 hr. The antiproliferation activity of ACE in HaCaT cells was further verified by apoptosis assays. The percentage of apoptotic population in ACE-treated group was significantly higher than that of control group (p < .05). The result of cell cycle arrest assay also supported the observed antiproliferation efficacy of ACE in HaCaT cells. In IMQ-induced psoriasis-like mouse models, the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score of ACE (50 mg/ml; ACE50)-treated group was significantly lower than that of IMQ group on Day 4 (p < .05). After topical application of ACE on psoriasis-like lesion for 4 days, the epidermal thickness of (IMQ + ACE50) group was significantly lower than that of IMQ group (p < .05). The expression levels of Ki-67 and intracellular adhesion molecule-1 in excised skin tissues of (IMQ + ACE50) group were also lower than those of IMQ group. All these findings suggest that ACE can be used as a promising antipsoriatic agent.

A cream formulation containing Artemisia capillaris (AC) extract (ACE) was developed for psoriasis therapy. Although ACE can be dissolved in organic solvents, its topical application is restricted because of toxicities. Therefore, a cream formulation was developed for the convenient and safe local application of ACE on skin lesions. The antipsoriatic properties of the ACE cream were evaluated using an imiquimod- (IMQ-) induced psoriasis-like mouse model. In psoriasis-like mouse models, the cumulative score (redness, thickness, and scaling) of the IMQ + ACE cream group was significantly lower than those of the other groups on day 4 (p < 0.05). The results of the hematoxylin and eosin staining of skin tissues revealed that the epidermal thickness value of the IMQ + ACE cream group was significantly lower than those of the other experimental groups (p < 0.05). The expression level of intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), which indicates the leukocyte infiltration into the skin and subsequent interactions with keratinocytes, was also lower in the IMQ + ACE cream group than in the IMQ group. These results indicate that ACE cream formulation could be used safely and conveniently for psoriasis treatment.

In this study, Eucommia ulmoides Oliver extracts was studied in order to see any effects on the β-hexosaminidase release suppression of RBL-2H3 cells and on the expression of filaggrin, transglutaminase-1 (TGase-1) and cornified cell envelope (CE) related to the recovery of HaCaT keratinocyte skin barrier. Results showed that Eucommia ulmoides Oliver extracts reduced β-hexosaminidase release in RBL-2H3 cells and increased the effects of Eucommia ulmoides Oliver extract on the expression of filaggrin, transglutaminase-1 (TGase-1) and cornified cell envelope (CE) in HaCaT keratinocytes. Taken together, these results suggested that Eucommia ulmoides Oliver extract may be applicable for keratinocyte differentiation.

− Psoriasis is an auto-immune skin disease, which is characterized by the excessive generation of plaques on the skin with typically a long-lasting red, itchy and scaly symptoms. Imiquimod, which has been used for the treatment of external genital warts, actinic keratosis, and superficial basal cell carcinoma, induced of psoriasis-like skin disorders with skin erythema and thickness in mice. In the present study, we tried to find the bioactive herbal extract against imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like skin disorder in mice. During the searching of the herbal extract with anti-psoriatic effect, the ethanolic extract of Cnidium officinale ameliorated imiquimodinduced psoriasis-like skin disorder in mice. The morphological evaluation, H&E staining and Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score showed that ear and back thickness, and erythema induced by imiquimod were significantly reversed after the treatment of the cream of the ethanolic extract of C. officinale. The overexpressed myeloperoxidase (MPO) and keratin 6A levels were decreased by the treatment of C. officinale cream. Also, IFN-γ, c-fos and IκB-α mRNA levels, which are related to the progression of psoriasis, were reduced by C. officinale cream. Thus, the ethanolic extract of C. officinale ameliorated psoriasis-like skin disorder induced by imiquimod and might be the therapeutic agent for psoriasis.

Cnidium rhizome from Cnidium officinale Makino and Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort (Umbelliferae) is traditionally used to treat pain in East Asian countries. Senkyunolide A and Z-ligustilide are phthalic anhydride derivatives that are the bioactive components of cnidium rhizome and chemical markers of the two species; they are also susceptible to external stimuli. In this study, we developed a method to identify two chemical markers using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with an ultraviolet detector (UVD); the contents of senkyunolide A and Z-ligustilide in cnidium rhizome from different regions were quantified. The stabilities of the compounds were tested at two different temperatures over 12 months. An HPLC-UVD system was used to identify and quantify senkyunolide A and Z-ligustilide in 10 C. officinale samples and 6 L. chuanxiong samples from China and Korea. The long-term stability of the C. officinale samples in dark conditions at 4 and 25 C was also tested. The calibration curves for the two chemical markers showed high linearity (R2 = 1.0000), the precision was high (relative standard deviation (RSD) <4.17%), and the recoveries were within the range of 95-105%. The contents were mostly independent of the geographical origin and species, and >10% of the compounds degraded after storage at 4 and 25 C for 6 months. A method was developed to rapidly identify two chemical markers in cnidium rhizome with good linearity, precision, and accuracy using HPLC-UVD. These markers will be utilized for the quality control or evaluation of herbal preparations containing cnidium rhizome.

− Artemisia capillaris Thunb. (Compositae) is a native herb of East Asian countries and has used for the treatment of jaundice, high liver fever, and digestive diseases for a long time, as well as being developed as the source of herbal preparations until now. The major components from A. capillaris were chlorogenic acid (1) and its derivatives substituted with caffeoyl moieties, such as 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (2) and 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (3), and coumarins, such as scoparone. In the study, four compounds, chlorogenic acid, 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid and scoparone (4) in the 70% ethanolic extract of A. capillaris were simultaneously determined by using HPLC-UVD system. This method was validated with the terms of linearity, precious and accuracy according to ICH guidelines. The developed method was successfully applied for the quantitative analysis of Artemisia genus, A. capillaris, A. iwayomogi, A. princeps, and A. argyi, distributed in Korea.