Abstract
Background: Depression and contact dermatitis (CD) are considered relatively common health problems that are linked with psychological stress. The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antidepressant activities of pumpkin were previously reported. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the combined topical and oral application of pumpkin fruit (Cucurbita pepo L.) extract (PE) in relieving CD associated with chronic stress–induced depression and compare it to the topical pumpkin extract alone and to the standard treatment. Materials and Methods: Forty male albino rats were exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) for 4 weeks for induction of depression and then exposed to (1-fluoro-2, 4-dinitrofluorobenzene, DNFB) for 2 weeks for induction of CD. Those rats were assigned into 4 groups (n = 10 each); untreated, betamethasone-treated, PE-treated and pumpkin extract cream, and oral-treated groups. Treatments were continued for 2 weeks. All groups were compared to the negative control group (n = 10). Depression was behaviorally and biochemically confirmed. Serum and mRNA levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-6, COX-2, and iNOS, were assessed. Oxidant/antioxidant profile was assessed in the serum and skin. Histopathological and immunohistochemical assessments of affected skin samples were performed. Results: Pumpkin extract, used in this study, included a large amount of oleic acid (about 56%). The combined topical and oral administration of PE significantly reduced inflammatory and oxidative changes induced by CD and depression compared to the CD standard treatment and to the topical PE alone. PE significantly alleviated CD signs and the histopathological score (p < 0.001) mostly through the downregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the upregulation of antioxidants. Conclusion: Pumpkin extract, applied topically and orally, could be an alternative and/or complementary approach for treating contact dermatitis associated with depression. Further studies on volunteer patients of contact dermatitis are recommended.
Highlights
Depression is a common illness worldwide as more than 264 million people are suffering from it
This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the combined topical and oral application of Cucurbita pepo L. fruit extract in relieving contact dermatitis (CD) associated with depression compared to topical pumpkin extract as well as the standard CD treatment
Some compounds of pumpkin extract (PE) with anti-inflammatory effects were detected in this study such as oleic acid, palmitic acid, linolenic acid, betulin, and linoleic acid, while others have antimicrobial and antibacterial effects as 10-octadecenoic acid
Summary
Depression is a common illness worldwide as more than 264 million people are suffering from it. The prevalence of contact dermatitis (CD, one of the skin inflammatory diseases, was described to be 10–40%, in general population; Ozgur et al (2018). The occupational CD was reported to represent 70–90% of all occupational skin diseases and was described to deteriorate the functional capacity and the quality of life of the patient (Malik and English, 2015). Some studies have reported that psychological stress acts as a precipitating factor in triggering or worsening various skin diseases, including atopic contact dermatitis (Picardi et al, 2005; Amano et al, 2008). In a recent study conducted on depressed patients, the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6 was increased and TNF-α was correlated with psychological and cognitive fatigue (Pedraz-Petrozzi et al, 2020). Depression and contact dermatitis (CD) are considered relatively common health problems that are linked with psychological stress. The antioxidant, antiinflammatory, and antidepressant activities of pumpkin were previously reported
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
