HESA-A, a potent anti-inflammatory agent: a role for complementary and alternative medicine in autoimmune diseases

AHMADI A¹, BARIKBIN B², NASERI M³, MOHAGHEGHI M¹, MIRGHAZANPHARI S.M.⁴

¹ Institute of Cancer Research, Medical Sciences/ University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

² Dep. of Dermatology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

³ Dep. of Pharmacology, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.

⁴ Dep of physiology, Medical Sciences/ University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Background: In the recent years, natural medicine had a major role to control of inflammatory reactions and it was clear that the many herbs also possess anti-inflammatory characteristics. HESA-A is a compound of natural origin, consisting of rare elements and organic materials, which in several animal and cellular studies have shown powerful anticancer effects and less toxicity on normal cells. Also, results strongly suggested that HESA-A has a protective action against preoperative damage to biomembranes. Moreover, the influence of HESA-A on inflammation has been also investigated and its effects has been compared with other chemical drugs such as prednisolone and salicylate sodium.

Methods: In a randomized double-blind clinical trial on 28 patients with chronic plaque-type psoriasis, patients received HESA-A tablet 25 mg/kg twice a day orally or placebo.

Results: At the end of study, in the treatment group psoriatic plaques were absent (no evidence of psoriasis or complete remission) in 9 cases (64.2%) and was very mild (controlled, but not entirely cleared) in 5 cases (35.8%). Disease relief was observed in 10 (71.4%) patients after 4 months, in 2 cases (14.3%) after 5 months and in 2 (14.3%) other patients after 6 months while none of the controls showed disease improvement.

Conclusion: This study confirmed that the anti-inflammatory effects of HESA-A were significantly higher than chemical drugs. Besides, because of rare reported side effects of HESA-A in comparison to other drugs, it seems that the use of HESA-A as an anti-inflammatory agent is priority to other anti-inflammatory chemical drugs.     

Keywords: HESA-A, Psoriasis, Inflammation

Word count:     This abstract including the title, authors’ names and affiliations has 1754 characters without spaces

 Address of the presenting author (including valid fax number and email):

 Presenting author: Amrollah Ahmadi, Dr, MD

Institution: Institute of cancer, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

 Address: Emam Khomeini hospital, Dr Gharib Avenue, Tehran, Iran

Tel (work):+9821 66940021

Fax (work): +9821 66933399