بحوث سكوبس — حسنين عبدمسلم عباس الجبوري

The chromones found in the dried roots of Saposhnikovia divaricata include cimifugin; in fact, Saposhnikovia divaricata is a main source of cimifugin. Vinpocetine is a synthetic version of vincamine derived from periwinkle; it is characterized by potent anti-inflammatory properties that allow it to reduce immune cell infiltration and suppress the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential influence of a topically-applied combination of cimifugin and vinpocetine gels on a model of a psoriasis-like inflammatory skin reaction. To this end, we divided 48 albino BALB/c mice into six groups. All groups except for the negative control group received imiquimod topically (daily, for 7 days) for the induction of psoriasis-like skin lesions. A group received imiquimod (5%) only (positive control), while four other groups were also treated with a clobetasol (0.05%) cream, a cimifugin (3%) gel, a vinpocetine (3%) gel, or a combination of cimifugin (3%) and vinpocetine (3%) gels, once daily, for 7 days; the aforementioned treatments were first applied 7 days after the pharmacological induction of the lesions. Our findings revealed that the topically-applied combination of cimifugin-and vinpocetine-containing gels had an important anti-psoriatic effect, as seen by the diminishing of the skin levels of tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-17, and interleukin-23, thereby improving the imiquimod-induced histological changes in mice. We conclude that a topically-applied combination of cimifugin and vinpocetine can exert substantial anti-psoriatic activity. © 2025, ZITA Medical Management. All rights reserved.

A cytokine storm is a severe and potentially fatal condition resulting from an excessive immune response. Epicatechin and huperzine A have demonstrated anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, suggesting their potential utility in mitigating tissue damage and cytokine storm severity. This study aimed to compare the protective effects of huperzine A and epicatechin in a cytokine storm-like murine model. Sixty male Swiss albino mice were randomly allocated into six groups. Except for the control group, all animals received a single intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 5 mg/kg) in order to induce a cytokine storm. The induction group received LPS without further intervention. The remaining groups were pre-treated for three consecutive days prior to LPS administration as follows: vehicle group (1% dimethyl sulfoxide), methylprednisolone group (50 mg/ kg/day methylprednisolone), huperzine A group (0.2 mg/kg/day huperzine A), and epicatechin group (25 mg/kg/day epicatechin). The histological analysis of lung tissues and the quantification of serum cytokines – interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) – revealed that all pre-treated groups exhibited significant anti-inflammatory effects. Notably, epicatechin conferred a more pronounced protective effect than either methylprednisolone or huperzine A, as evidenced by reduced pulmonary histopathological alterations and lower serum cytokine concentrations. In conclusion, both huperzine A and epicatechin demonstrated protective efficacy against the LPS-induced cytokine storm, with epicatechin showing superior performance in attenuating systemic inflammation and lung injury. © 2025, ZITA Medical Management. All rights reserved.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory condition affecting the skin and hair. This study evaluates the impact of Swertiamarine on inflammation induced by Imiquimod-induced psoriasis in mice. Swertiamarine ointment was topically administered before Imiquimod application, and mice were divided into five groups for various treatments. The control group received a daily cream application (62.5mg/2cm) on the shaved back along with an oral vehicle dose for 14 days. The Imiquimod group applied a topical vehicle dose one hour before Imiquimod 5% (62.5 mg/2 cm) on the shaved back for 14 consecutive days. The Swertiamarine-treated group applied Swertiamarine topically one hour before Imiquimod 5% (62.5 mg/2 cm) for the same duration. The clobetasol-treated group received clobetasol ointment (62.5mg/2cm) one hour before Imiquimod 5% (62.5 mg/2 cm) for 14 days. The Swertiamarine-only group received topical Swertiamarine doses for 14 days. Results showed a significant reduction in TNF-α, IL-23, IL-17 levels, and improvements in severity index, psoriasis area, skin thickness, spleen index, and decreased gene expression of TNF-α, NfKB, IL-1B, IL-17 in the Swertiamarine group compared to the vehicle group with Imiquimod. In summary, Swertiamarine demonstrated a potent ameliorating effect, surpassing clobetasol in the context of Imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like inflammation in mice. © 2024, ZITA Medical Management. All rights reserved.