TOPICAL APPLICATION OF TERMINALIA CHEBULA CREAM INHIBITS ULTRAVIOLET-B-INDUCED PSORIASIS IN RATS

Introduction: The present study aims at evaluating anti oxidant activity and inhibition of topical application of Terminalia chebula cream in ultraviolet –B-induced psoriasis in rats. Materials &Methods: The seeds of Terminalia chebula were dried and powder was extracted with chloroform, ethyl acetate, ethanol, methanol, and deionized water by cold maceration method. Total phenolic content, total tannin content and total triterpenoid content was determined by different methods. Anti oxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH method and reducing power assay. Cream formulation of the optimized extract was prepared by hot fusion method. Psoriasis was induced by irradiatiating for 30 min at a vertical distance of 20 cm with UV light (385 nm) on the skin. Severity index, hydroxyproline content and epidermal thickness was determined. Results and Discussion: Total Phenol (mg gallic acid/ g) content, Total Tannins (mg catechin/ g) content and  Total triterpenoid (mg ursolic acid/ g) content was found to be significant for water extract.The reducing ability of water extract was always higher than methanol extract at all the concentrations. Conclusion: We concluded that cream containing 0.1% water extract of Terminalia chebula seeds possess antioxidant activity along with potent antipsoriatic activity. Further, application of Terminalia chebula cream resulted in decrease in relative epidermal thickness of animal skin as well as other histopathological features. The present investigation aims at the development of potent phytomedicine for treatment of psoriasis from the Terminalia chebula plant.