Abstract

The antipsoriatic effect of methanol and hexane extracts of the stem, bark, leaves and fruit of Kigelia africana (sausage tree) on cell differentiation was evaluated in the modified mouse tail test for psoriasis. Histopathological studies showed that the topical application of K. africana extracts on the tails of male albino mice-induced orthokeratosis in previously parakeratotic areas of the adult albino mouse tail with significant effects on epidermal thickness. The results of our studies showed that the topical application of K. africanaexhibited an important antipsoriatic activity with K. africana stem methanol extracts exhibiting the highest antipsoriatic activity with little irritation potential.

Key words: Kigelia africana, psoriasis, mouse tail test, orthokeratosis, parakeratosis, epidermal thickness, irritation potential.