Zulfakar Modh Hanif, Edwards Michael, Heard Charles Martin
Welsh School of Pharmacy, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3XF, United Kingdom.
Eur J Dermatol. 2007 Jul-Aug;17(4):284-91. doi: 10.1684/ejd.2007.0201. Epub 2007 Jun 1.
The n-3 fatty acids have demonstrable biological activities and have been associated with many health improvements from child brain development to arthritis. In this review we sought to pull together the works that have examined the potential use of n-3 fatty acids in psoriasis. The rationale of using EPA and/or its metabolites is supported by findings which suggest that it has anti-inflammatory properties and plays an important role in the resolution phase of inflammation. EPA use in psoriasis has also been demonstrated in trials using oral, intravenous, and topical preparations, with generally positive outcomes. Depth profile analysis revealed that EPA and its metabolite, 15-HEPE are deposited in the epidermis, particularly in the metabolically active basal layer. This is considered advantageous in psoriasis therapy. Currently there are many unknowns about psoriasis aetiology and the effects of blocking different cytokines have on the disease progression. Furthermore not enough is known about EPA effects on cellular immunity other than via prostaglandin and leukotriene synthesis to fully understand the mode of action of EPA. However, evidence so far suggests EPA does have a potential role in the treatment of psoriasis, in particular for topical treatments either as an active anti-inflammatory agent by itself, or as a dual action permeation enhancer for other anti-psoriatic treatments. The challenges include optimising the delivery of EPA to the skin and determining the derivatives of EPA which would give maximal effects, and overcoming pharmacokinetic and formulation problems to optimally deliver EPA to its intended target cells.
n-3脂肪酸具有明显的生物活性，与从儿童大脑发育到关节炎等诸多健康改善相关。在本综述中，我们试图汇总已研究n-3脂肪酸在银屑病中潜在用途的相关著作。使用二十碳五烯酸（EPA）和/或其代谢产物的理论依据得到了研究结果的支持，这些结果表明它具有抗炎特性，并且在炎症消退阶段发挥重要作用。在使用口服、静脉注射和局部制剂的试验中也证实了EPA在银屑病中的应用，总体结果呈阳性。深度剖析分析显示，EPA及其代谢产物15-羟基二十碳五烯酸（15-HEPE）沉积在表皮中，特别是在代谢活跃的基底层。这在银屑病治疗中被认为是有利的。目前，关于银屑病的病因以及阻断不同细胞因子对疾病进展的影响仍有许多未知之处。此外，除了通过前列腺素和白三烯合成外，对于EPA对细胞免疫的影响了解不足，无法充分理解EPA的作用模式。然而，目前的证据表明，EPA在银屑病治疗中确实具有潜在作用，特别是对于局部治疗，它既可以作为一种活性抗炎剂单独使用，也可以作为其他抗银屑病治疗的双重作用渗透促进剂。挑战包括优化EPA向皮肤的递送，确定能产生最大效果的EPA衍生物，以及克服药代动力学和制剂问题，以最佳方式将EPA递送至其靶细胞。
