Nicotinamide and its metaboliteN-methylnicotinamide increase skin vascular permeability in rats

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that topically applied nicotinamide and its metabolite N-methylnicotinamide (NMN(+)) might be useful agents for treatment of dermatological disorders such as acne vulgaris and rosacea. AIM: This study aimed to find out if the mechanism of these therapeutic effects depends on their vascular effects, by investigating if nicotinamide and NMN(+) are able to influence vascular permeability of the vessels in the skin on the back of Wistar rats. METHODS AND RESULTS: A dose-dependent increase in vascular permeability was seen in rats treated intradermally with nicotinamide and NMN(+). Interestingly, a significantly stronger effect of NMN(+) compared with nicotinamide was evident. Increased vascular permeability in rats treated with 0.5% NMN(+) ointment was seen. Moreover, indomethacin, a cyclo-oxygenase 1 and 2 inhibitor and N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor, reduced the observed effects of nicotinamide and NMN(+). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides direct in vivo evidence that nicotinamide and its metabolite NMN(+) increase skin vascular permeability in rats by a mechanism that may involve NO and prostaglandins.