• CELLMED
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.31.1-31.8
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• 2013

This study has been geared to document primary information on common complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) used to treat and/or manage common dermatological disorders in Mauritius, a tropical multicultural island in the Indian Ocean. Data from 355 key informants was collected via a semi-structured questionnaire. Pearson correlation and Chi-squared test were performed to delineate any association. Quantitative indexes including the Importance Value (IV) and fidelity value were calculated. Results tend to indicate that cultural reasons were behind the use of CAM among Mauritians and traditional knowledge was mainly acquired either from parents/relatives or from self-experience. Among the medicinal plants mentioned, Aziadiracta indica (IV = 0.78) and Paederia tomentosa (IV = 0.70) were found to be most used plants. Calendula officinalis (IV = 0.15), Centella asiatica (IV = 0.22) and Agauria salicifolia (IV = 0.11) were also recorded to be used for common dermatological disorders though greatly under-utilised. Animal products were mentioned by 38.0% respondents and cow ghee was found to be commonly used in the management of measles (IV = 0.88). Spiritual healing was found to be used mainly for measles and warts. Given the plethora of novel information documented from the present survey, it can be suggested that the Mauritian population still relies to a great extent on CAM which needs to be preserved and used sustainably. Nonetheless, further investigation is required to probe the possible active constituents that could be the basis of an evidence based investigation to discover new drugs.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.3403-3406
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• 2015

Background: Skin biopsy is the method to assist clinicians to make definite dermatological diagnosis which further helps in holistic management. Skin cancers are relatively rare clinical diagnosis in developing countries like Nepal, but the prevalence is on rise. Objectives: To investigate the profile of skin biopsies and frequencies and pattern of skin cancers in a tertiary care centre of Western Nepal. Materials and Methods: The materials consisted of 434 biopsies (1.37%) out of 31,450 OPD visits performed in the Department of Dermatology, Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara, Nepal, during the period of Dec 2011-Nov 2014. Data were collected and analyzed using SPSS-16 with reference to incidence, age, sex, race and clinical and histopathological features. Results: The commonest disorders observed in biopsies were papulosquamous lesions, skin tuberculosis of different types, benign skin tumors, leprosy, collagen and fungal diseases. Viral diseases were rarely seen, probably due to straight forward clinical diagnosis. Dermatological malignancies accounted for 55/434 (12.67%) of biopsies. Skin disorders in general were commoner in females 280/434 (64%), including malignancies 32/55(58.2%). Mean age of patients with skin cancer was 54.5 years. Facilities for proper laboratory investigation of dermatological disorders will improve the quality of life. Conclusions: The most prevalent lesion in skin biopsies was papulosquamous disorders followed by skin tuberculosis of different types. Dermatological malignancy constituted 55/434 (12.67%) cases. The prevalence of skin malignancy is on rise in Nepalese society probably due to increase in life expectancy and better diagnostic services.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.228-234
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• 1998

The importance of psychological factors in dermatologic disorders has been recognized for several decades. However, there have been few reports on the management of psychodermatologic disorders. Psychodermatologic conditions can be divided into three broad subgroup in the dermatologic point of view ; first, psychiatric disorders manifesting as dermatological symptom, second, dermatoses mainly caused by emotional factors, i.e., stress, or determined by complex psychophysiological mechanism, and third, psychological symptoms secondary to dermatological conditions, i.e., anxiety or depression. This article describes first two major categories of psychodermatologic disorders and attempts to provide brief guideline for each psychodermatologic condition in view of the clinical interface between dermatology and psychiatry.

• Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.575-590
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• 2018

The prevalence of allergic disorders has dramatically increased over the past decade, particularly in developed countries. Apart from gastrointestinal disorders, neoplasia, genital and dermatological diseases etc., dysregulation of gut microbiota (dysbiosis) has also been found to be associated with increased risk of allergies. Probiotics are increasingly being employed to correct dysbiosis and, in turn, to modulate allergic diseases. However, several factors like strain variations and effector metabolites or component of them in a bacterial species can affect the efficacy of those as probiotics. On the other hand, host variations like geographical locations, food habits etc. could also affect the expected results from probiotic usage. Thus, there is a glaring deficiency in our approach to establish probiotics as an irrefutable treatment avenue for suitable disorders. In this review, we explicate on the reported probiotics and their effects on certain allergic diseases like atopic dermatitis, food allergy and asthma to establish their utility. We propose possible measures like elucidation of effector molecules and functional mechanisms of probiotics towards establishing probiotics for therapeutic use. Certain probiotics studies have led to very alarming outcomes which could have been precluded, had effective guidelines been in place. Thus, we also propose ways to secure the safety of probiotics. Overall, our efforts tend to propose necessary discovery and quality assurance guidelines for developing probiotics as potential immunomodulatory 'Pharmabiotics.'

• Korean journal of dermatology
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• v.56 no.10
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• pp.620-623
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• 2018

Vitiligo is a multifactorial disorder. Neural, biochemical, and autoimmune mechanisms have been hypothetically suggested as etiopathological contributors to this condition. Autoimmunity focuses primarily on genetic factors and the association between vitiligo and other autoimmune disorders including autoimmune thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, type 1 diabetes, pernicious anemia, and Addison's disease. We describe a 35-year-old man with systemic lupus erythematosus who developed concurrent vitiligo and discoid lupus erythematosus suggesting the possible autoimmune association between these 2 different diseases.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.126-138
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• 1995

For investigating a disease specific psychological mechanism in various dermatological disorders, we tried to explore the difference in correlation among stress perception, locus of control as a coping strategy, depressive symptoms and pruritic symptoms in the patients with psychological pruritis and chronic urticaria. The subjects were composed of 32 patients with psychol-ogical pruritis and 67 patients with chronic urticaria(subject group), and 25 patients with organic pruritis and 59 patient with major depression(control group). Global assesment of recent stress scale(GARS), I-E locus of control scale, Beck Depression Inventory(BDI) and medical college of wisconsin center pain follow up questionnaire were used for assesement. The results were as follows: 1) There were a significant positive correlation between stress perception and depressive symptom in patients with psychological pruritis, chronic urticaria, and major depression but not hi organic pruritis. 2) In relationship between locus of control and depressive symptom, patients with psychological pruritis, organic pruritis, and major depression except chronic ruticaria showed a significant negative correlation. 3) For intensity and pattern of pruritis, there were positive relations with depressive symptom and stress perception only in patients with chronic urticaria. Above results indicate that stress perception and locus of contorl may play a significant role in the formation of psychological and dermatological symptoms in psychological pruitis and chronic urticaria. But the mechanisms of these processes are different in either disorder.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.227-244
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• 2011

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNA molecules that negatively regulate gene expression via degradation or translational repression of their target messenger RNAs (mRNAs). Recent studies have clearly demonstrated that miRNAs play critical roles in several biologic processes, including cell cycle, differentiation, cell development, cell growth, and apoptosis and that miRNAs are highly expressed in regulatory T (Treg) cells and a wide range of miRNAs are involved in the regulation of immunity and in the prevention of autoimmunity. It has been increasingly reported that miRNAs are associated with various human diseases like autoimmune disease, skin disease, neurological disease and psychiatric disease. Recently, the identification of miRNAs in skin has added a new dimension in the regulatory network and attracted significant interest in this novel layer of gene regulation. Although miRNA research in the field of dermatology is still relatively new, miRNAs have been the subject of much dermatological interest in skin morphogenesis and in regulating angiogenesis. In addition, miRNAs are moving rapidly center stage as key regulators of neuronal development and function in addition to important contributions to neurodegenerative disorder. Moreover, there is now compelling evidence that dysregulation of miRNA networks is implicated in the development and onset of human neruodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Tourette's syndrome, Down syndrome, depression and schizophrenia. In this review, I briefly summarize the current studies about the roles of miRNAs in various autoimmune diseases, skin diseases, psychoneurological disorders and mental stress.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.343-346
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• 1994

Microsporum gypseum was identified as the prime cause of dermatitis in two young horses who were housed in unhygienic stables. The lesions were mainly distributed on the thorax, abdomen and rump. The diagnosis was established on the direct demonstration of dermatophyte in the cutaneous lesions and isolation of the fungus in pure and heavy growth from the infected hairs and skin scales on mycological medium at 3$0^{\circ}C$. Microscopoc morphology of the isolate in 'PHOL' stain many macroconidia and few microconidia. Epidemoilogical investigation revealed the prevalence of M. gypseum in the soil of stables. Mycological examination is highly imperative to distinguish the disease from other dermatological disorders. This apperas to be the first report of equine dermatitis due to M. gypseum in Westenn India.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.244-250
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• 2005

The copper-containing enzyme, tyrosinase, catalyzes the oxidation of tyrosine into dihydroxy phenylalanine (DOPA) and subsequently DOPAquinone. It is responsible, not only for the pigment melanin biosynthesis in human skin, but also for browning in foods. In the present study, tyrosinase inhibitory and antioxidant activities of Korean mistletoe extract and its fractions were investigated. As a result, both water and methanol (MeOn) extracts inhibited the tyrosinase activity. Among the fractions, the fraction eluted with $95\%$ MeOn significantly inhibited the tyrosinase activity. The fraction was further purified, and the purified fraction C strongly inhibited the enzyme activity up to $92\%$. In addition, water and methanol extracts exerted radical scavenging effects. The fractions eluted with $70\%\;MeOn\;and\;95\%$ Me on showed high radical scavenging activities. In conclusion, these results suggest that Korean mistletoe extract and its fractions might be useful for the treatment of various dermatological disorders such as epidermal hyperpigmentation and for improving food quality.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.62 no.2
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• pp.125-128
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• 2007

Docetaxel is a taxoid antineoplastic drug, which is widely used to treat locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Among the adverse dermatological reactions, nail disorders such as bending, onycholysis, hypoor hyperpigmentation are rare. We report a case of a 62-year-old male with advanced NSCLC (cT4N3M1, stage IV), who developed purulent discharge and onycholysis in the nail of all his fingers and the left great toe after five courses of anti-neoplastic chemotherapy, which included docetaxel (cumulative dose: $370mg/m^2$, 590 mg). Seven days after the final session of chemotherapy, the patient had become aware of discoloration and swelling of the nail beds with out pain. Three days later, greenish-yellow purulent discharge oozed out from the involved nails. Microbiologic studies revealed Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Intravenous and topical antibiotics (mupirocin) were applied. After 2 weeks, regrown nails were observed and the onycholysis had improved.