BACKGROUND: The combination of psoralen and UVA (PUVA) as a model of photochemotherap, has been used in a wicle variety of cutaneous disorders such as psoriasis, vitiligo, mycosis fungoides and atopic dermatitis. The mechanism of PUVA of psoriasis is based on the fact. that PUVA causes photoconjugation of psoralens to DNA and a subsequent suppression of mitosis, DNA synthesis, and keratinocyte proliferation. Although PUVA apparently inhibits keratinocytie proliferation and is effective therefore in the treatment of psoriasis, PUVA increases pigmentations by stimulating melanocyte proliferation and melanin synthesis in vivo. OBJECTIVE: We tried to investigate the PUVA effects on the proliferation and different,iation in cultured human keratinoc tes and melanocytes. METHODS: We examined morphologic changes, and the number of the cultured human keratinocytes and melanoiytes and melanin contents in a control group and experimental group. (UVA group, 8-MOP group and PUVA group). i.e., UVA group was exposed to UVA at 60mJ, of. 8-MOP group was acJded at dose of 2 x 10 M to medium for 30 minutes. PUVA group was exposed to UVA at 60mJ, of after adding in 8 MOP at Zx 10 M for 30 minutes. RESULTS: 1. Morphologic changes of cultured human keratinocytes and melanocytes. There were no significent changes between the control group and the experimental groups in keratinocytes and melanocytes after 24, 48 and 72 hours culture. The number and length of meianocyte dendrites showecl no significant differences between the groups after 24, 48 and 72 hours culture(p>0.05). 2. Proliferation of cultured human keratinocytes and melanocytes 1) The number of keratinocytes in 8-MOP and PUVA groups decreased significantly more than in the control and LVA groups at 72nd hour after culture (p<0.01). 2) The number of melnocytes showed no differences between the groups at 72nd hour after culture (p>0.05). 3. Melanin contents in iultured human melanocytes The melanin contents increased significantly in the PUVA groups compared to that in the other groups at 72nd hour after culture (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: In culturel human keratinocytes, PUVA has no effect on the morphology and differentiation, hut inhibit proliferation. In cultured human melanocytes, PUVA has no effect on morphology and proliferation, but it increases the melanin contents.
Dendrites ; Dermatitis, Atopic ; DNA ; Ficusin ; Humans* ; Keratinocytes* ; Melanins ; Melanocytes* ; Methoxsalen ; Mitosis ; Mycosis Fungoides ; Pigmentation ; Psoralens ; Psoriasis ; Vitiligo

One adverse effect of PUVA therapy is the development of severe dermatitis. Only a few cases of photoallergy to psoralens during PUVA therapy have been reported. We describe herein a patient with photoallergic dermatitis induced by PUVA with 8-methoxypsoralen(8-MOP). A 38-year old woman with generalized vitiligo had acute pruritic exanthematous maculopapular lesions in the treated areas after PUVA therapy with 8-MOP. A patch test and photopatch test were performed with 8-MOP, 5-MOP, and 4,5,8-trimethylpsoralen(TMP). The patch test carried out with these psoralen derivatives were all negative, but the photopatch test showed a positive reaction to 8-MOP. The patient consequently had PUVA therapy with 5-MOP and she had no further experience of a photoallergic reaction.
Dermatitis ; Dermatitis, Photoallergic* ; Female ; Ficusin ; Furocoumarins ; Humans ; Methoxsalen* ; Patch Tests ; PUVA Therapy ; Vitiligo

BACKGROUND: Monofunctional psoralens plus UVA radiation are not severely phototoxic and have less mutagenic activity than bifunctional psoralens plus UVA radiation. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate pigment producing effect using various concentrations(0.02%, 0.1%, 0.5%) of monofunctional psoralens such as angelicin, khellin and comparing it's effect with TMP in topical photochemotherapy. METHOD: Ninty three C57BL mice were painted with either angelicin, khellin or TMP solution in concentrations of 0.02%, 0.1% and 0.5% each and were UVA irradiated. Skin biopsies were performed at 1,3,5 weeks after UVA irradiation. The pigment producing effects were measured by the number, area and perimeter of the melanocytes after topical PUVA. RESULTS: The comparison of melanocyte numbers between different psoralens after five weeks of photochemotherapy showed a significant difference in decreasing order of TMP, khellin and angelicin. The area and perimeter of melanocytes were larger in the TMP group after five weeks photochemotherapy than the other group. However in the khellin and angelicin group, the area and perimeter of melanocytes were not increased by increasing the frequency of the UVA irradiation. CONCLUSION: The number, area and perimeter of melanocytes after topical PUVA increased in the TMP group compared to angelicin or khellin group. We expect the clinical application of angelicin and khellin in vitiligo is possible considering the result of the study of pigment producing effect with a higher concentration and higher dose of UVA.
Animals ; Biopsy ; Ficusin* ; Furocoumarins ; Khellin ; Melanocytes* ; Methods ; Mice* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Paint ; Photochemotherapy* ; Skin ; Thymidine Monophosphate ; Vitiligo

Vitiligo is a disease of unknown cause in which melanocytes are preferentially destroyed by unidentified mechanisms. Vitiligo does respond slowly to psoralens with ultraviolet light and less often to applications of topical steroids. Many investigators have developed therapeutic regimens for autografts of normal melanocyte in treatment for this disfiguring disease. We present herein a case of localized vitiligo in a 26-year-old female, who was successfully repigmented with autologous skin graft and systemic PUVA therapy. The achieved result demonstrate a possible therapeutic approach for vitiligo.
Adult ; Autografts ; Female ; Ficusin ; Humans ; Melanocytes ; Psoralens ; PUVA Therapy* ; Research Personnel ; Skin* ; Steroids ; Transplants* ; Ultraviolet Rays ; Vitiligo*

Early stage mycosis fungoides (MF) is known to be responsive to various topical and systemic therapies such as corticosteroids and ultraviolet light radiation, photochemotherapy with psoralens and whole-body electron beam irradiation. However, these treatments have all revealed a high relapse rate. Thus, we suggest that more invasive therapy, including PUVA combined with interferon-gamma, is one of the possible treatments for early MF because this treatment displays a reduced relapse rate. We report here on a case of early stage MF (Stage Ib) that was successfully treated with PUVA (total dose: 105.7 J/cm2) and intravenous administration of recombinant human interferon-gamma (total 5.4x10(6) IU), and the patient has been without relapse 1 year after treatment.
Administration, Intravenous ; Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Electrons ; Ficusin ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; Mycosis Fungoides ; Photochemotherapy ; Psoralens ; Recurrence ; Ultraviolet Rays

Ninety black C 57 BL mice were divided into control and photochemotherapy groups. Control group was subdivided into a UVA 1rradiation only subgroup and a khellin only administration subgroup, while the phototherapy group was subdivided into one TMP and two khellin administration subgroups with dosages of 1.5mg/kg, 5mg/kg and 20mg/kg, respectivly. UVA was administered three thimes a week in a dose of 4J/cm for 4 weeks. Skin biopsies were taken at 0, l, 2, 3 and 4 weeks and the split DOPA stain was employed to observe pigment production. The number, size and circumference of the melanocytes were assessed. In summary, our results inclicate that khellin, which is slightly less effective than TMP at the same effective dose, is quite effective for pigment production and the degree of the production is dose related.
Animals ; Biopsy ; Dihydroxyphenylalanine ; Khellin* ; Melanocytes* ; Mice ; Photochemotherapy* ; Phototherapy ; Skin ; Thymidine Monophosphate ; Trioxsalen*

The chemical constituents from lipophilic parts in the roots of Angelica dahurica var. formosana cv. Chuanbaizhi were studied in this paper. The compounds were separated and purified by repeated column chromatographic methods on silica gel and HPLC, and the chemical structures of compounds were determined by spectral data analyses. Twenty-nine compounds were obtained and identified as isoimperatorin (1), β-sitosterol (2), imperatorin (3), bergapten (4), osthenol (5), xanthotoxin (6), isoimpinellin (7), dehydrogeijerin (8), phellopterin (9), isodemethylfuropinarine (10), 7-demethylsuberosin (11), alloimperatorin (12), xanthotoxol (13), isooxypeucedanin (14), alloisoimperatorin (15), demethylfuropinarine (16), 5-hydroxy-8-methoxypsoralen (17), oxypeucedanin methanolate (18), pabulenol (19), byakangelicin (20), marmesin (21), (+) -decursinol (22), heraclenol (23), oxypeucedanin hydrate (24), marmesinin (25), ulopterol (26), erythro-guaiacylglycerol-β-ferulic acid ether (27), threo-guaiacylglycerol-β-ferulic acid ether (28), and uracil (29). Compounds 5, 8, 11, 18, 21-23, and 26-28 were obtained from the roots of title plant for the first time.
Angelica ; chemistry ; Coumarins ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Furocoumarins ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Methoxsalen ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Phytochemicals ; analysis ; chemistry ; Plant Roots ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo establish a convenient and rapid method of microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) for the extraction of psoralen and isopsoralen in Psoralea corylifolia.

METHODThe effects of various parameters on the MAE were investigated with several single-factor tests, and compared with the traditional extraction.

RESULTThe optimal conditions of MAE were as follows: the extractine time was 3 min, and the ratio of solvent to material was 400 mL x g(-1) by using methanol as the solvent. Compared with soxhlet extraction, heat reflux extraction, and ultrasound-assisted extraction, MAE needed only 3 min to give the highest yield of psoralen and isopsoralen, while the other extraction methods needed several hours and gave lower yield.

CONCLUSIONThe proposed method has greatly shortened extraction time and improved extraction yield, so it provides a neotype, simple and rapid measure for the separation of psoralen and isopsoralen from P. corylifolia.

BACKGROUND: PUVA therapy has been used to treat psoriasis, vitiligo, and various cutaneous diseases. Psoralens are metabolized in the liver and thus can produce liver damage. OBJECTIVE: This study was done to observe the effect of 5-methoxypsoralen on liver function during photochemotherapy. METHODS: Serum transaminase levels were determined before and during photochemotherapy in eighty patients with vitiligo or psoriasis. RESULTS: Four of the eighty patients who had received 5-MOP-PUVA showed elevation of serum transaminase levels. CONCLUSION: Although there have been few cases showing transient elevated values of serum transaminase during 5-MOP-PUVA, it is advisable to obtain liver function tests before and serially during photochemotherapy.
Ficusin ; Furocoumarins ; Humans ; Liver Function Tests ; Liver* ; Photochemotherapy* ; Psoriasis ; PUVA Therapy ; Transaminases* ; Vitiligo

The present study established a determination method of Psoraleae Fructus by quantitative analysis of multi-components by the single marker(QAMS) and further improved the thin-layer chromatography(TLC) method. The QAMS method was established by UPLC with psoralen as the internal marker, and the content of psoralenoside, isopsoralenoside, psoralen, and isopsoralen was simultaneously determined. As revealed by the comparison with results of the external standard method, the QAMS method was accurate and feasible. According to the current quality standards of Psoraleae Fructus, the TLC method was further optimized and improved, and bakuchiol was added for identification based on the original TLC method with psoralen and isopsoralen as indicators. This study provides a reference for improving the quality control method of Psoraleae Fructus.
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/analysis* ; Ficusin ; Fruit/chemistry* ; Furocoumarins/analysis* ; Psoralea