East Indian sandalwood oil is a phosphodiesterase inhibitor: A new therapeutic option in the treatment of inflammatory skin disease

Manju Sharma, Corey Levenson, John C. Browning, Emily M. Becker, Ian Clements, Paul Castella, Michael E. Cox

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

Cyclic adenosine monophosphate phosphodiesterases (PDEs) regulate pro-inflammatory cytokine production. One isoform, PDE4, is overactive in chronic relapsing inflammatory skin diseases: psoriasis and eczema/atopic dermatitis, and in several cancers. East Indian sandalwood oil (EISO) has significant anti-inflammatory properties. Here, we report that 75% of pediatric eczema/atopic dermatitis patients treated with topical EISO formulations achieved a > 50% reduction in their Eczema Area and Severity Index score. EISO treatment of a psoriasis model reduced PDE4 expression and reversed histopathology. EISO directly inhibited PDE enzymatic activity in vitro. In lipopolysaccharide-stimulated human dermal fibroblast, BEAS-2B, A549, and THP-1 cells, EISO suppressed total cellular PDE activity, PDE4, and 7 transcript levels, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activation, and pro-inflammatory cytokines/chemokine production. These results suggest that EISO anti-inflammatory activity is mediated through suppressing PDE activity, thus facilitating cAMP-regulated inhibition of NF-κB and indicate EISO as an attractive natural therapeutic for chronic and acute inflammatory disorders.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number200
JournalFrontiers in Pharmacology
Volume9
Issue numberMAR
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 9 2018

Keywords

  • Anti-inflammatory
  • Anti-proliferative
  • Atopic dermatitis
  • Cancer
  • Eczema
  • Phosphodiesterase
  • Psoriasis
  • Skin organoid

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pharmacology
  • Pharmacology (medical)

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