Anthralin is an anthrone inhibitor of keratinocyte proliferation and a modulator of differentiation.
1 It increases apoptosis and inhibits proliferation of normal human keratinocytes (NHKs) when used at a concentration of 2.5 μM. It also decreases the mitochondrial membrane potential, increases cytochrome
c release, and induces perinuclear mitochondrial clustering in NHKs when used at a concentration of 5 μM.
2 Anthralin (0.25 μM) decreases the expression of β-defensin-2 (Item No.
24577) and S100 calcium-binding protein A9 (S100A9) and increases the expression of IL-6 and IL-8 in IL-17A- and IL-22-stimulated NHKs.
1 It also inhibits leukotriene B
4 (LTB
4; Item No.
20110) production, stimulated by the calcium ionophore A23187 (Item No.
11016), from human neutrophils (IC
50 = 7 μM).
3 Topical anthralin (0.1%) induces hair regrowth in a Dundee experimental bald rat (DEBR) model of alopecia areata.
4