A promising impact of oral administration of noscapine against imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like skin lesions

Objective: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease. The effectiveness of noscapine has been employed as a helpful treatment for various disorders and subjected to recent theoretical breakthroughs.Materials and Methods: Psoriasis-like lesions were induced by topical application of ۵% imiquimod (IMQ) (۱۰ mg/cm۲ of skin) in male Balb/c mice and then medicated with a single oral dose of methotrexate (MET) as a positive control or daily oral treatment of noscapine (۵, ۱۵ and ۴۵ mg/kg). In this way, skin inflammation intensity, psoriatic itchiness, psoriasis area severity index (PASI) score, ear length, thickness, and organ weight were daily measured. At the end of the study, histological and immunohistochemical and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA, for pro-/anti-inflammatory factors) were performed in each ear.Results: IMQ caused psoriasis-like lesions. Noscapine markedly alleviated macroscopic parameters, namely ear thickness, ear length, skin inflammation, itching, and organ weight, as well as microscopic parameters including, pathology and Ki۶۷ and p۵۳, and tissue immunological mediators, such as tumour necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-۱۰, transforming growth factor (TGF-β), interferon-g (IFN-g), IL-۶, IL-۱۷, and IL-۲۳p۱۹ in the psoriatic skin in a concentration manner (p<۰.۰۵-<۰.۰۰۱).Conclusion: Therefore, noscapine with good pharmacological properties has considerable effects on psoriasis inflammation.

Keywords:

Psoriasis , Imiquimod , Inflammation , Noscapine , Methotrexate