Preliminary studies had shown the marked anti-inflammatory potential of Pereskia aculeata leaves [1]. Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease which affects 1-3% of the world Caucasian population [2], which encouraged the investigation of P. aculeata antipsoriatic potential by the mouse tail test [3]. Topical pharmaceutical formulations (20 mg) containing 6% or 12% of hexane fraction from P. aculeata leaves (HF), vehicle or PsorexTM were topically applied on the tail of Swiss mice (n=5) and histometric analysis were performed as follows: (1) the total length of the scale region; (2) the length of the granular layer of the scale region; (3) the orthokeratosis degree, which was calculated by the ratio of (2)/(1). ANOVA followed by the Newman-Keuls test was used for statistical analysis (COBEA – Protocol nº 028/2014). The orthokeratosis degree presents high correlation with the antipsoriatic activity on human skin. The naive group and the topical pharmaceutical formulations containing vehicle, HF 6%, HF 12% or PsorexTM showed, respectively, 49.62 ± 3.1, 52.25 ± 4.5,, 72.16 ± 3,3***, 78.14 ± 3.1***, and 86.83 ± 2.5*** of orthokeratosis degree (***p < 0.001 vs naive). Photomicrographs of the naïve and treated tissues are shown in Figure 1. Our findings strongly suggested that P. aculeata is endowed with antipsoriatic potential.
Sponsors: This work was supported by the grants from FAPEMIG, CAPES and CNPq.
[1] Pinto NCC, Machado DC, Da Silva JM, Conegundes JL, Gualberto AC, Gameiro J, Chedier LM, Castañon MC, Scio E. J Ethnopharmacol 2015; 173: 330-337
[2] Uva L, Miguel D, Pinheiro A, Antunes J, Cruz D, Ferreira J, Filipe P. Int J Endrocrinol 2012; 2012: 1-16.
[3] Bosman B, Matthiesen T, Hess V, Friderichs E. Skin Pharmacol 1992; 5: 41-48.