Effects of artemether on the proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation of keratinocytes: potential application for psoriasis treatment

Artemether exhibits diverse pharmacological effects and has multiple applications. This study aimed to investigate its antiproliferative and apoptogenic effects on HaCaT cells and keratinocyte differentiation-inducing activity in vivo. WST-8 analysis demonstrated that Artemether can inhibit the proliferation of cultured HaCaT cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Annexin V/PI dual staining and JC-1 staining further revealed that Artemether can dose-dependently augment HaCaT apoptosis. To investigate the keratinocyte differentiation-inducing activity of Artemether, it was prepared as topical creams at concentrations of 1%, 3%, and 5%. During the 4 weeks of topical treatment, no evidence of irritation was observed in the mouse tail test. Artemether cream dose-dependently increased the degree of orthokeratosis and the relative epidermal thickness of mouse tail skin, indicative of the keratinocyte differentiation-inducing activity. Taking the in vitro and in vivo findings together, the present study suggests that Artemether may be a promising antipsoriatic agent worthy of further investigation.