Open-label uncontrolled pilot study on antipsoriatic activity of Rosa hemisphaerica

* Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Iraq. ** Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Iraq. Introduction Rosa hemisphearica (R. hemisphaerica) (Rosaceae) is an erect shrub 1-2m height with grey-green leaves of five to seven leaflets. Flowers of this plant large pale yellow, native to Asia Minor and Southwest Asia, also grow in Iran, especially in Kordestan, Azarbayejan, and Semnan. Medicinally have an antioxidant and antibacterial effect. Previous research works on Rosa spp. revealed antibacterial activity, relaxant effects of the ethanolic extract and essential oils of R.damascena on tracheal chains of guinea pigs were documented. Also, extracts from the fruits of R.canina were shown to possess significant inhibitory activity against inflammation by inhibition of p-benzoquinone-induced writhing in mice. R. hemisphaerica flowering parts yields colorless oil. The major constituents are heneicosane (32%), nonadecane (30%), 9-nonadecene (10.5%), and tricosane (8.3%). R. hemisphaerica stem extract is used traditionally in Kurdistan for the topical treatment of inflammatory skin Background and objective: Rosa hemisphearica (Rosaceae) is highly cultivated worldwide as an ornamental plant and medicinally have an antibacterial and antioxidant effect. This study aimed to investigate clinically and histopathologically the anti-inflammatory activity of Rosa hemisphearica in psoriasis and to correlate the anti-inflammatory activity with the active constituents in the plant by the phytochemical study. Methods: In this open-label uncontrolled pilot study, a topical preparation of R. hemisphearica stem extract was used by 20 patients suffering from psoriasis for three weeks. Three histopathological slides for each patient, one each week for three weeks was done for anti-inflammatory response evaluation. Subsequently, total phenolic content was measured followed by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis for the identification of phenolic acid content in the stem. Results: By histopathological examination revealed that both Munro’s and Kogoj’s abscesses were gradually disappeared, the granular layer gradually restored to normal and the inflammatory cells gradually reduced in number prominently polymorph (neutrophils) and eventually histocytes disappeared. Total phenolic contents in R. hemisphearica stem extract were determined as 205.625 μg gallic acid equivalent\ each gm of the sample extract, TLC, and HPLC results showed the presence of rosmarinic acid in the stem extract. On quantitative HPLC analysis, the percentage of rosmarinic acid in the stem extract was 0.024 with a retention time (Rt) of 3.4 min. The proposed HPLC method was found to be linear, accurate and precise. Conclusion: The organic solvent extract of R. hemisphearica stem showed a significant reduction in an inflammatory cell among psoriatic patients under study. Rosmarinic acid was identified by TLC and HPLC as important phenolic acid constituents.