Abstract
Oridonin is a natural compound with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities; however, its use as a topical therapeutic option for psoriasis has received limited attention. The novelty of this research lies in the design and assessment of topical oridonin ointments and their comprehensive assessment in an imiquimod (IMQ)-induced mouse model of psoriasis-like inflammation through clinical, inflammatory, protein, and gene expression analyses. Thirty-six mice were divided into six groups and treated with paraffin ointment, oridonin ointment (1% or 2%), or mometasone furoate. Oridonin ointments were applied after psoriasis induction. Both formulations of oridonin significantly decreased inflammatory mediators, namely interleukin (IL)-23, IL-17, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), reduced malondialdehyde (MDA), decreased psoriasis severity, and improved skin thickness. The 2% formulation generally produced greater numerical improvements than the 1% formulation. These findings indicate that oridonin ointment is a promising therapeutic option for psoriasis management through its potent anti-inflammatory impact.