Treating Psoriasis With Cotton Extracts

A substance found in the cotton plant could help treat the common skin disease psoriasis, according to new research from the Pharmacy School at Sunderland University to be launched today (Tuesday 27 September 2005) at the British Pharmaceutical Conference in Manchester.
Gossypol is a natural toxin that is thought to protect the cotton plant from insect damage. In the past it has been investigated as a male contraceptive but no product was ever marketed. Dr Kalliopi Dodou from Sunderland University reports that, since discovery of gossypol's antifertility activity in the 1960s, studies had indicated that it might also have anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory activity.
"Such activity suggested possible therapeutic use in psoriasis, since the disease is associated with skin inflammation and hyper-proliferation of cells (keratinocytes) in the outer skin layers," she says. "It is this hyper-proliferation that leads to the characteristic scaly skin patches in patients with psoriasis."
Dr Dodou tested the efficacy of gossypol and synthetic derivatives in treating the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV infection is associated with benign hyper-proliferation. The tested compounds were found to inhibit keratinocyte proliferation, with gossypol itself being the most active.
In further studies gossypol was also shown to have anti-oxidant activity. Dr Dodou explains that this is also potentially useful in treating psoriasis: "One of the theories of the pathogenesis of psoriasis is that the condition is related to imbalance in the body's anti-oxidant system. Some studies have shown people with psoriasis to have high levels of oxidative metabolites. Gossypol might therefore stop oxidation of the fatty acids in the skin."
Dr Dodou is to tell the conference that gossypol appears to dampen down inflammation and hyper-proliferation and is a good candidate for the topical treatment of psoriasis. She said that subsequent work showed that formulating gossypol into a cream would be feasible.

The Picture of Psoriasis Management

Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition in which new skin cells grow too fast. This causes thick, dry, scaly patches of skin to form in areas where the old skin hasn't shed quickly enough.
If you've been diagnosed with psoriasis, there are several things you can do to help manage flare-ups.
Health Canada suggests you:
Keep your skin moist.
Apply creams and ointments slowly and gradually in the direction of your hair's growth.
Avoid using very hot water when bathing or showering.
Use mild soaps and deodorants.
Use brushes with soft bristles. Wash your hair gently and let it dry naturally whenever possible.
Avoid picking or scratching skin and skin injuries. An injury to the skin can cause psoriasis patches to form at the site.

Clinical Trials on Possible New Psoriasis Treatment

Isotechnika said data from a Canadian Phase III trial for its immunosuppressive drug, ISA247 met all primary and secondary effectiveness endpoints at 12 weeks with minimal side effects.
The trial of 453 patients with stable moderate to severe plaque psoriasis was conducted at 32 sites over a 24 week period using orally administered ISA247 in psoriasis patients.
"Our goal was to create a drug with a superior safety and efficacy profile compared to other medications used to treat psoriasis," Isotechnika president and chief operating officer Randall Yatscoff said in a release.
"We are pleased to have achieved these goals in the interim data analysis which indicates the presence of a therapeutic window. It is very encouraging to see that our 24-week endpoints were achieved at the 12 week point of the trial."

Phase One Clinical Trials for Psoriasis Treatment

Celera Genomics has chosen Christchurch for phase one clinical tests of its Cathepsin S inhibitor, CRA-028129, and will dose about 70 volunteers with either CRA-028129 or a placebo. The subjects will not know which one they have been given,
Cathepsin S is an enzyme responsible for the breakdown of other natural proteins, but in some cases of autoimmune diseases it has been found to be poorly regulated by the body. Researchers propose that in those cases, controlling the enzyme could control psoriasis.
Celera said in a statement that it had the approval of New Zealand's director general of health for the tests, a committee of the Health Research Council, and a council ethics committee.
James Yee, head of development at Celera Genomics said the quality of clinical science and operations at the Christchurch trust meant that results from the study would be considered a valid basis to judge the suitability of CRA-028129 for further tests on people suffering from psoriasis.
Psoriasis is a genetic condition that causes the over-production of skin cells, leading to a thickening of the skin, resulting in raised red, scaly patches.
It is estimated to affect 1-3 per cent of the population worldwide, with two to three million of these patients suffering a moderate or severe form of the disease.
The most common form, plaque psoriasis, accounted for approximately 85 per cent of all cases, and caused raised, red patches covered with a silvery white buildup of dead skin cells,.
Dr Yee said there was considerable evidence that the immune system was involved in the disease, and there was evidence that inhibiting the production of Cathepsin S by some skin cells might reduce the immune reaction.
The company had identified two genetic markers in humans which it would use to check the behaviour of the compound in the volunteers. It expected that the medication would also be useful against other autoimmune diseases. Other researchers have proposed targeting Cathepsin S in treatments for the incurable diseases rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

Psoriasis Advocacy Group Approaches The FDA

“Psoriasis Cure Now,” a nonprofit patient advocacy group, today urged the Food and Drug Administration's Arthritis Drugs Advisory Committee to support approval of abatacept for use by rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. The biologic drug would be marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) under the brand name Orencia. “As we have seen repeatedly in the past, many of the same medications that help RA patients also bring relief to people with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis, and vice versa,” said Michael Paranzino, president of Psoriasis Cure Now. “We would like abatacept available not just to help RA patients, but because it may provide the psoriasis community with an additional treatment option.” Biologics for the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are already bringing relief to tens of thousands of Americans with these painful, debilitating and incurable diseases. But no psoriasis treatment works for everyone; each treatment works better for some patients than for others; and in some cases, patients find their treatment loses effectiveness for them over time. Additional options, then, provide patients with more opportunities to find a treatment that will work for them. “We do have a concern that post-Vioxx skittishness may lead some to try to slow down the approval of promising new treatment options,” added Paranzino, himself a psoriasis patient. “But that would be a mistake. We patients need relief, and we need it now. The FDA should continue to approve these promising new treatments, while also strengthening their post-approval monitoring of any adverse events that may emerge once large populations are using a particular drug.” Paranzino is scheduled to appear before the Advisory Committee in its afternoon session. His written statement to the Committee is available here: psorcurenow.org/abatacept.php

The Theroetical Picture on The Cause of Psoriasis

Normally, skin cells are constantly being formed, then pushed up to the surface where they eventually die and flake off, revealing new skin cells. In people with psoriasis, however, the skin cells grow too quickly, causing layers of skin to build up, forming a whitish, flaky crust. Blood vessels increase flow in an attempt to nourish this skin, causing reddened inflammation. Thus the hallmark symptoms of psoriasis are reddened, inflamed skin with a whitish, flaky layer of dead cells on top.
Although psoriasis usually appears as a skin condition, recent discoveries show that its real cause is a problem with the immune system.
Your body naturally fights infections and heals injuries with special cells -- called white blood cells -- that are designed to battle viruses or bacteria. Normally these cells go to the site of infection or injury and release antibodies and other chemicals to repair wounds, clot blood and prevent infection. One byproduct of this normal process is inflammation (redness and swelling).
For reasons that doctors don't yet understand, the immune systems of people with psoriasis malfunction. One type of white blood cell - the B-cell - begins creating antibodies that destroy normal skin cells. Another type of white blood cell - the T-cell - begins overproducing a substance called cytokines. This overproduction turns off a signal that regulates skin cell grow.
That's why psoriasis is considered an autoimmune disease - the immune system malfunctions and turns on normal body tissues. Other autoimmune diseases include lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
Psoriasis of the skin or nails may look like a rash or fungus, but you can't catch psoriasis from another person and you can't give it to anyone else. You also can't spread it from one part of your body to another by touch. Experts now know that a susceptibility to getting psoriasis can be inherited. If it runs in your family, your chances of developing psoriasis are higher.