title: Hydroalcoholic human placental extract: skin pigmenting activity and gross chemical composition.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitiligo is a pigmentary disorder of the skin of unknown etiology. It is thought to be of autoimmune origin after demonstration of antibody-mediated destruction of melanocytes. Photochemotherapeutic PUVA therapy is widely used in vitiligo with about 33% success. Aqueous or hydroalcoholic extracts of human placenta of ill-defined composition have also been used therapeutically for vitiligo. A hydroalcoholic human placental extract has been developed by us with pigmenting activity based on experimental therapies. Its chemical analysis was the primary objective of this study.
  
  
  METHODS
  For the guinea pig experiment, 20 drops of the extract or vehicle (60% alcohol) as control was topically applied around the nipples covering the areola zones of male immature white guinea pigs (wt. 175-250 g) daily for 60 days with 15 minutes infrared (IR) exposure used for vascular dilatation and enhancement of the absorption of the extract. Standard methods have been followed for all chemical analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The guinea pig experiment showed clear pigmentation and hypertrophy of the experimental nipples to varying degrees. Chemical analysis of the extract revealed the presence of small-molecular-weight proteins/peptides, lipids (including glycosphingolipids), carbohydrates, sialic acids, cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoproteins (HDL), and others, including amino acids, nucleotides, carotenes, vitamins, etc.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Glycosphingolipids, known modulators of B and T cells, were reported capable of inducing adhesion, spreading, and motility of melanoma. It is present in the extract and, therefore, may lead to skin pigmentation through induction of melanocytes. Endothelin, a 21-amino acid peptide, detected in human placenta and possibly extractable by our process, has been reported to be indispensable for melanocyte growth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Calcutta.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pal
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Datta
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Dutta
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Biswas
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bhadra
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D000287:Administration, Topical; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000032:analysis; D000431:Ethanol; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000032:analysis; D006028:Glycosphingolipids / Q000032:analysis; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006801:Humans; D007259:Infrared Rays; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D009558:Nipples / Q000187:drug effects; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000032:analysis; D010789:Phototherapy; D010924:Placental Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D012794:Sialic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D012880:Skin Pigmentation / Q000187:drug effects*; D013107:Sphingolipids / Q000032:analysis; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D006017:Glycolipids; D006028:Glycosphingolipids; D008055:Lipids; D010743:Phospholipids; D010924:Placental Extracts; D011506:Proteins; D012794:Sialic Acids; D013107:Sphingolipids; D002338:Carotenoids; D000431:Ethanol