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Objective To investigate the potential role of the traditional herbal medicine Datura metel L. in the treatment of psoriasis using TNF-α-induced inflammation in keratinocytes as a model. Methods Keratinocyte cell line HaCaT was used to establish a psoriasis cell model by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) treatment. The experiment comprised three groups: a blank control group, TNF-α-induced psoriasis model group, and TNF-α + Datura metel L. intervention group. Level of IL-17 and CCL20 was measured ELISA, expression of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) subunit p65 protein was measured by Western blot. Endothelial cell tube formation experiment was conducted using an in vitro angiogenesis analysis kit. Results Compared to the TNF-α-induced psoriasis model group, the Datura metel L. extract significantly reduced the levels of IL-17 and CCL20 in the cell culture supernatant of TNF-α-induced psoriasis model (P＜0.001); Datura metel L. extract markedly decreased the NF-κB subunit p65 protein level in TNF-α-induced psoriasis model cells (P＜0.01); Datura metel L. extract effectively inhibited the induction of endothelial cell tube formation by the cell culture supernatant of the psoriasis model group. Conclusions The Datura metel L. extract down-regulates NF-κB signaling pathway molecules, reducing the production of IL-17 and CCL20 inflammatory factors in inflammatory keratinocytes and inhibiting angiogenesis.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a population of multipotent cells with remarkable regenerative and immunomodulatory properties. Wharton's jelly (WJ) from the umbilical cord (UC) has gained increasing interest in the biomedical field as an outstanding source of MSCs. However, challenges such as limited supply and lack of standardization in existing methods have arisen. This article presents a novel method for enhancing MSC yield by dissecting intact WJ from the umbilical cord. The method employs blunt dissection to remove the epithelial layer, maintaining the integrity of the entire WJ and resulting in an increased quantity and viability of harvested MSCs. This approach significantly reduces WJ waste compared to conventional sharp dissection methods. To ensure the purity of WJ-MSCs and minimize external cellular influence, a procedure utilizing internal tension to peel off the endothelium after flipping the UC was conducted. Additionally, the Petri dish was inverted for a short time during explant culture to improve attachment and cell outgrowth. Comparative analysis demonstrated the superiority of the proposed method, showing a higher yield of WJ and WJ-MSCs with better viability than traditional methods. The similar morphology and expression pattern of cell surface markers in both methods confirm their characterization and purity for various applications. This method provides a high-yield and high-viability approach for WJ-MSC isolation, demonstrating great potential for the clinical application of MSCs.