title: Channa striatus cream down-regulates tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha gene expression and alleviates chronic-like dermatitis in mouse model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Haruan, Channa striatus, is a freshwater fish which has been well-known locally to accelerate wound healing during post-operative and post-partum periods. The fish extract also has potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess topical anti-inflammatory effect of Haruan cream on 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced chronic-like dermatitis in mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male ICR mice were randomized into six groups of five mice each: acetone (vehicle), TPA alone (negative control), three Haruan treatment groups (Haruan 1%, Haruan 5% and Haruan 10%) and hydrocortisone 1% (positive control). Briefly, both surfaces of mouse ears were applied with TPA (2.5μg/20μl acetone) for five times on alternate days and with Haruan or hydrocortisone 1% cream for the last three days. Mouse ear thickness was measured 24h after final treatment with the cream and the ears were harvested for further histological analysis and gene expression studies of TNF-α by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Topical application of Haruan cream had reduced the mouse ear thickness 18.1-28%) with comparable effect to the positive control. In addition, histopathological comparison had shown evident reduction in various parameters of cutaneous inflammation including dermal oedema, inflammatory cells infiltration and proliferation of epidermal keratinocytes. Furthermore, TPA application had resulted in the up-regulation of TNF-α gene expression by 353-fold, which was subsequently down-regulated by the Haruan cream (34- to 112-fold).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Haruan is an effective topical anti-inflammatory agent in this mouse model of chronic-like dermatitis, thus suggesting its potential as a non-steroidal treatment option for chronic inflammatory dermatoses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. Electronic address: dr.irmaisa@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Irma Izani
authors.initials: II
authors.lastname: Mohamad Isa
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Suhaili
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abu Bakar
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Siti Farah
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Md Tohid
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Abdul Manan
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mat Jais
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics; D003872:Dermatitis / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005399:Fishes; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
keywords: Anti-inflammatory; Channa striatus; Chronic dermatitis; Gene expression; Haruan; TNF-α