Background: The plant Artemisia annua has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for many years. Rich in bioactive molecules, the A. annua plant is used to extract the anti-malaria compound artemisinin (< 1%), which results in most of the plant being unutilized. One byproduct of artemisinin extraction is artemisia naphtha (AN), which has yet to be studied extensively. Aims: Study the activity of a novel AN oil extract against microbes, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and dermatological endpoints that are key for eczema and acne pathogenesis to determine if an effective A. annua extract for these skin conditions can be developed. Methods: Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was performed to determine the composition of AN oil. P. acnes, S. aureus, M. furfur, and C. albicans were cultured to determine minimal inhibitory concentration. in vitro studies utilizing keratinocytes and macrophages were treated with AN oil and gene expression measured by quantitative RT-PCR. A 13-subject clinical trial was performed with 1% AN oil Gel to assess its potential benefits for sensitive and acne prone skin. Results: AN oil upregulates filaggrin gene expression and possesses antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity inhibiting LPS, S. aureus and "Th2 induced" pro-inflammatory mediator release (IL-6, IL-8 and TSLP). Clinical assessment of 1% AN Gel shows it reduces acne blemishes and the appearance of redness. Conclusion: Previously an underutilized and unpurified byproduct, AN is now the source to develop the first topical AN oil for cosmetic use with an activity profile that suggests it is effective for those with sensitive and/or acne prone skin.
Background: Artemisia annua has been used in traditional Chinese medicine and has recently emerged in contemporary medicine as an anti-malaria treatment due to the presence of artemisinin, and topically for cosmetics. Since Chinese regulations prohibit the use of artemisinin in consumer products, we previously developed a novel, topical, artemisinin-free A. annua extract byproduct called artemisia naphta (AN) oil. We demonstrated that AN oil extract was effective in vitro and clinically in subjects with sensitive and/or acne prone skin. Given these findings, we sought to determine the therapeutic potential of AN oil extract for atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis. Results: Utilizing human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, we screened for AN oil extract’s ability to inhibit T-cell mediated inflammation, a hallmark of AD and psoriasis. Results showed that AN oil extract significantly reduced T-cell Receptor induced IL-4 and IL-17A pro-inflammatory cytokine release. Given these promising in vitro results, we then tested AN oil extract’s activity in topical in vivo models for both AD and psoriasis. In the calcipotriol or MC903-AD-induced model, AN oil extract demonstrated reduction in mouse ear thickness (edema) and several serum cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and IgE. Furthermore, AN oil extract was also effectively ameliorated lesions, significantly reduced psoriasis area and severity index score down to 5.4 and inhibited serum inflammatory mediators (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β) in the imiquimod-induced psoriasis mouse model. Conclusions: The results presented here make AN oil extract an attractive candidate for further development to treat AD and psoriasis as well as continued usage as a cosmetic ingredient.
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