Korean J Dermatol.  1978 Jun;16(3):181-189.

A Study on the Effect of Topical Indomethacin on Sunburn

• Choi JS
• Kim WS
• Lee YS

Abstract

It is generally recognized that several chemical mediators are involved in tbe pathogenesis of sunbum; however, the exact mechanism is still to he resolved. Recently, prostaglandin has been found to be one of the inflammatory mediators in sunbum, particularly in the delayed erythema response and several investigators have shown that the nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs inhibit the in vivo synthesis of prostaglandin. On the assumption that the nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs might exert a beneficial effect on the sunbum through the antiprostaglandin effect, several authors have reported the effect of indomethacin on sunbum. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of topical indomethacin on the delayed erythema response induced by artificial sunlamp and sunlight by clinical and histopathological examination. Indomethacin(2. 5% ointment, 2. 5% solution, 5% solution) was applied immediately after 3 MED irradiation of artificial sunlamp to the shaved back skin of 6 healthy albino guinea pigs weighing 550-850gm and 9 human volunteers and the delayed erythema response was observed at 2, 4, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours after irradiation respectively. Punch biopsies of the skin were performed on 6 guinea pigs at 6, 12, 24 a.nd 48 hours after irradiation and the histologic changes were observed. Four human volunters were exposed t,o 3 MED of sunlight and indomethacin preparations were applied immediately after irradiation. The delayed erythema response was observed at 2, 4, 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours postirradiation and in one volunteer, the skin was biopsied at 24 hour for histologi.c evaluation. The results were as follows: 1. Topical indomethacin in ointment or solution forms delayed and decreased the appearance and degree of erythema induced by sunlight and artificial sunlamp in both human and animal subjects. 2. Histologically, the number of sunbum cells at 24 hour in the epidermis of one human volunteer was decreased on indomethacin applied sites. The dermis showe6 no difference in histologic changes between control and indomethacin sitea. In animal study, however, no detectable difference in epidermal or dermal changes was observed between control and indomethacin applied sites. The autors confirmed that topical indometha,cin was effective in delaying and blanching of the delayed erythema of sunbum in guinea pigs as well as in human volunteers, though there was no difference in histologic changes between indomethacin and control sites in guinea pigs. The mechanism involvel on this aspect is remained to be resolved.

MeSH Terms

Animals
Biopsy
Dermis
Epidermis
Erythema
Guinea Pigs
Healthy Volunteers
Humans
Indomethacin*
Research Personnel
Skin
Sunburn*
Sunlight
Volunteers
Indomethacin