Effect of isosecotanapartholide isolated from Artemisia princeps Pampanini on IL‑33 production and STAT‑1 activation in HaCaT keratinocytes

Toxicological evaluation of Isosecotanapartholide from Artemisia vulgaris L.: oral acute and sub-acute toxicity in BALB/c mice

Isosecotanapartholide (ISTP) isolated from Artemisia vulgaris, having fumigant property, was tested for acute and sub-acute toxicity in BALB/c mice. The male and female BALB/c mice were given ISTP orally for 7 days at doses of 200, 800 and 1600 mg/kg body weight (bw) for the acute toxicity assay. For sub-acute toxicity test, ISTP was given orally for 14 days at doses of 50 and 500 mg/kg bw. The general appearance, behaviour, weight gain, water intake and feed intake, relative organ weight, haematological indices, histopathological sections and biochemical markers were examined. In the study, ISTP at doses up to 1600 mg/kg bw in acute and 500 mg/kg bw in sub-acute studies, the vital organs like heart, kidney, uterus and testis revealed no adverse effects and mortality. Both acute and sub-acute toxicity assays show that Isosecotanapartholide is safe in mammalian system and can be used as an effective natural substitute for synthetic insecticides.

Phytochemical Profile, Antioxidant and Wound Healing Potential of Three Artemisia Species: In Vitro and In Ovo Evaluation

Skin injuries, and especially wounds of chronic nature, can cause a major negative impact on the quality of life. New efficient alternatives are needed for wound healing therapy and herbal products are being investigated due to a high content of natural compounds with promising healing activity. For this purpose, we investigated three Artemisia species, Artemisia absinthium L. (AAb), Artemisia dracunculus L. (ADr) and Artemisia annua L. (AAn). Ethanolic extracts, containing different polyphenolic compounds, elicited strong antioxidant activities in the DPPH assay, comparable to ascorbic acid. Human ketratinocyte proliferation was stimulated and wound closure was enhanced by all three extracts at concentrations of 100 µg/mL. The Artemisia extracts modulated angiogenesis by increasing vessel formation, especially following treatment with A. annua and A. dracunculus, extracts with a significantly higher content of chlorogenic acid. Good tolerability and anti-irritative effects were also registered in ovo, on the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM). The three Artemisia species represent promising low-cost, polyphenol-rich, antioxidant, safe alternatives for wound care treatment.

The Modulatory Influence of Plant-Derived Compounds on Human Keratinocyte Function

The plant kingdom is a rich source of secondary metabolites with numerous properties, including the potential to modify keratinocyte biology. Keratinocytes are important epithelial cells that play a protective role against various chemical, physical and biological stimuli, and participate in reactive oxygen scavenging and inflammation and wound healing processes. The epidermal cell response may be modulated by phytochemicals via changes in signal transduction pathways. Plant extracts and single secondary compounds can possess a high antioxidant capacity and may suppress reactive oxygen species release, inhibit pro-apoptotic proteins and apoptosis and activate antioxidant enzymes in keratinocytes. Moreover, selected plant extracts and single compounds also exhibit anti-inflammatory properties and exposure may result in limited production of adhesion molecules, pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in keratinocytes. In addition, plant extracts and single compounds may promote keratinocyte motility and proliferation via the regulation of growth factor production and enhance wound healing. While such plant compounds may modulate keratinocyte functions, further in vitro and in vivo studies are needed on their mechanisms of action, and more specific toxicity and clinical studies are needed to ensure their effectiveness and safety for use on human skin.

Antithrombotic Effect of Artemisia princeps Pampanini Extracts in Vitro and in FeCl3 -Induced Thrombosis Rats

Extracts of several plants possess antithrombotic effects. Herein, we examined the antithrombotic effects of different extracts of Artemisia princeps Pampanini prepared using distilled water, hot distilled water, 70% ethanol, or subcritical water. The antithrombotic effects were determined using a co-culture system consisting of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)-treated EA.hy926 cells and THP-1 cells. In addition, the coagulation time of plasma collected from healthy volunteers was evaluated in terms of the prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time. A carotid arterial thrombosis model was induced by ferric chloride in Sprague Dawley rats. The rats were treated with either sterile water or three different doses of the subcritical water extract for 2 weeks. The thrombus weight, gene expression of cell adhesion molecules, and histological characteristics were assessed. The results of in vitro studies revealed a significant inhibition in the adhesion of monocytes to EA.hy926 cells stimulated by TNF-α in the subcritical water extract-treated group. We also observed considerable suppression of the occlusion and mRNA expression of cell adhesion molecules in the in vivo experiments. This study suggests that Artemisia princeps Pampanini may have the potential to improve blood coagulation.