Open Access

ARTICLE

Astilbin ameliorates propranolol-induced psoriasis-like lesions through restoring Th17/Treg immune homeostasis in lymph nodes

Yayun Wu^1,2,3,#, Qi Xia^1,#, Dancai Fan¹, Ya Zhao^1,3, Lijuan Liu^1,3, Shigui Deng^1,3, Ruizhi Zhao^1,2,3

1 The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
2 Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
3 State Key Laboratory of Dampness Syndrome of Chinese Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
# These authors contributed equally to this work.

* Corresponding Author: R. Zhao,

European Cytokine Network 2025, 36(3), 52-63. https://doi.org/10.1684/ecn.2025.0505

Accepted 23 January 2026;

Abstract

Background: Psoriasis is a challenging immune-mediated dermatological disorder with an urgent need for effective clinical therapeutics, while astilbin has shown considerable efficacy in suppressing psoriasis progression, its underlying mechanisms are not fully clarified. This study aimed to systematically investigate the anti-psoriatic effects of astilbin and to elucidate its potential mechanisms of action. Methods: A psoriasis-like mouse model was established via cold water swimming, dietary restriction, and topical application of 5% propranolol emulsion, followed by daily treatment with low- (25.6 mg/kg), middle- (51.2 mg/kg), or high-dose (76.8 mg/kg) astilbin for 6 consecutive days, with evaluations including PASI scoring, histopathological examination, Baker scoring, inflammatory cytokine detection, and flow cytometric analysis of lymphocyte populations in lymph nodes and spleen. Results: Middle and high doses of astilbin significantly reduced skin lesions and erythema, with PASI scores decreasing by 23.6%, and 44.9% respectively, Baker scores significantly reduced by 23.1% and 24.1% in the middle- and high-dose groups, and astilbin also significantly suppressed skin IL-17A, IL-6, and IFN-γ levels; moreover, middle and high doses substantially downregulated Th1, Th17, and Treg cell populations in lymph nodes and effectively restored Th17/Treg balance. Conclusions: Astilbin effectively ameliorates psoriatic skin lesions through immunomodulatory mechanisms involving the correction of lymph node Th17/Treg imbalance, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic agent for psoriasis.

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Keywords

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