Molecules, Vol. 29, Pages 2107: Differential Anti-Fibrotic and Remodeling Responses of Human Dermal Fibroblasts to Artemisia sp., Artemisinin, and Its Derivatives

Molecules, Vol. 29, Pages 2107: Differential Anti-Fibrotic and Remodeling Responses of Human Dermal Fibroblasts to Artemisia sp., Artemisinin, and Its Derivatives Molecules doi: 10.3390/molecules29092107 Authors: Pamela Weathers Melissa Towler Bushra Hafeez Kiani David Dolivo Tanja Dominko Fibrosis is a ubiquitous pathology, and prior studies have indicated that various artemisinin (ART) derivatives (including artesunate (AS), artemether (AM), and dihydroartemisinin (DHA)) can reduce fibrosis in vitro and in vivo. The medicinal plant Artemisia annua L. is the natural source of ART and is widely used, especially in underdeveloped countries, to treat a variety of diseases including malaria. A. afra contains no ART but is also antimalarial. Using human dermal fibroblasts (CRL-2097), we compared the effects of A. annua and A. afra tea infusions, ART, AS, AM, DHA, and a liver metabolite of ART, deoxyART (dART), on fibroblast viability and expression of key fibrotic marker genes after 1 and 4 days of treatment. AS, DHA, and Artemisia teas reduced fibroblast viability 4 d post-treatment in up to 80% of their respective controls. After 4 d of treatment, AS DHA and Artemisia teas downregulated ACTA2 up to 10 fold while ART had no significant effect, and AM increased viability by 10%. MMP1 and MMP3 were upregulated by AS, 17.5 and 32.6 fold, respectively, and by DHA, 8 and 51.8 fold, respectively. ART had no effect, but A. annua and A. afra teas increased MMP3 5 and 16-...
Source: Molecules - Category: Chemistry Authors: Tags: Article Source Type: research