Paeonia lactiflora root extract as a promising phytochemical for LPS-induced skin inflammation management

Skin inflammation is a protective biological response to tissue damage, mediated by various inflammatory factors. Notably, transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV) channels have been implicated in this process, which involves dysregulation of both immune and non-immune cells. As such, targeting TRPV1 has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy for inflammatory skin conditions.

Paeonia lactiflora Pall., a rich source of bioactive compounds such as the terpene glycoside paeoniflorin, exhibits notable antioxidant and analgesic properties. This study investigated the effects of Paeonia lactiflora root extract standardized for paeoniflorin on LPS-induced inflammation in skin keratinocytes using in silico and in vitro approaches.

Molecular docking simulations predicted paeoniflorin’s binding affinity for the TRPV1 transmembrane domain. In vitro research results demonstrated significant dose-dependent anti-inflammatory effects of the extract on HaCaT keratinocytes. At a concentration of 0.05 mg/mL, the extract showed remarkable efficacy, reducing excessive TNF-α levels by 148.82%, IL-6 by 37.78%, and IL-13 by 68.63% compared to difference between LPS and basal controls (p<0.01). The analgesic effect may be linked to TRPV1 channel amount decrease by 113.47% to difference between LPS and basal controls (p<0.01).

These results confirm the Paeonia lactiflora extract has dual pharmacological potential for inflammatory skin conditions through cytokine and TRPV1 modulation. These findings highlight the therapeutic prospectives of Paeonia lactiflora extract for alleviation of skin inflammation.