Anti-inflammatory and antiradical effects of a 2% diosmin cream in a human skin organ culture as model.

BACKGROUND

Diosmin, a naturally occurring flavonoid, is considered as a vascular-protective agent and is used orally to treat chronic venous insufficiency. It exhibits anti-inflammatory and free radical scavenging properties, but, like many other flavonoids, it is poorly absorbed in the small intestine.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to investigate the skin protective effects of a diosmin-based cream, using skin organ culture as model.

METHODS

Fragments of human skin explants, cultured ex vivo, were allocated to four treatment groups: no cream, no cream + stress, placebo cream + stress, and 2% diosmin cream + stress. Stress was induced by exposure to either substance P (anti-inflammatory effects' assessment) or UVB irradiation (free radical scavenging effects' assessment). Vascular dilation and the pro-inflammatory mediator IL-8 release were determined in the first model, whereas hydrogen peroxide level and the number of cyclobutane pyrimidine-positive cells were evaluated in the second model.

RESULTS

In the substance P-induced inflammation model, 2% diosmin cream exhibited significant vasoconstrictive (proportion of dilated capillaries: -29%, capillary luminal area: -49% vs no cream + stress) and anti-inflammatory (IL-8 release: -36% vs no cream + stress) effects. In the UVB irradiation model, 2% diosmin cream significantly reduced hydrogen peroxide production and cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer formation (-45% and -36% vs no cream + stress, respectively). These effects were not observed with placebo cream.

CONCLUSION

Diosmin administered topically may protect skin against the biological effects of various exogenous or endogenous stresses, such as those involved in chronic venous disease.