Therapeutic Efficacies of Artemisia capillaris Extract Cream Formulation in Imiquimod-Induced Psoriasis Models

Abstract

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.