wound healing activity of Morinda tinctoria Roxb aqueous leaf extract

Scoping Review: Evaluation of Moringa oleifera (Lam.) for Potential Wound Healing in In Vivo Studies

Wound healing is a natural process to restore damaged tissues due to loss of tissue integrity. Moringa oleifera (locally known as merunggai in Malaysia) has been traditionally used in various ailments, including for wound management. To evaluate the wound healing properties in M. oleifera, publications were searched and selected following the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement with predetermined inclusion criteria. The databases searched for primary studies include PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, LILACS, ClinicalTrials.gov, and CENTRAL. In total, 18 in vivo studies were included, which involved the leaves, while the remaining 5 studies involved other plant parts tested on excision, incision, dead space, abrasion, and burn-induced wound models. All studies reported significant wound healing abilities. Most studies used different topical formulations of aqueous leaves extract. The accumulation of collagen content and underlying wound healing mechanism through antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities may be contributed by its bioactive phytochemical content, which has the potential to accelerate the wound contraction, increase the rate of epithelialization, and protect tissues against oxidative damage. In conclusion, M. oleifera showed wound healing potential but further studies are warranted to determine the main bioactive phytocompounds and safety.

Curcumin-loaded, alginate-gelatin composite fibers for wound healing applications

The wound healing process is characterized by varied biological and molecular cascades including inflammation, tissue proliferation, and remodeling phase. To augment and maintain these cascades, an all-natural matrix system is proposed. Biocompatible biopolymers, sodium alginate and gelatin, were employed to prepare microfibers via extrusion-gelation into a physical crosslinking solution. Curcumin, an anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and wound healing agent, was loaded into the fibers as a natural bioactive compound. Curcumin-loaded composite microfibers and blank microfibers were fabricated using biopolymers such as sodium alginate and gelatin. The formulation batches were coded as A1G9-A10G0 according to the varied concentrations of sodium alginate and gelatin. The molecular transitions within the composite microfibers were characterized using FTIR and were further corroborated using molecular mechanics analysis. In mechanical properties tensile strength and elongation-at-break (extensibility) were ranging between 1.08 ± 0.01 to 3.53 ± 0.41 N/mm² and 3.89 ± 0.18 to 0.61 ± 0.03%. The morphological analysis confirmed the formation and fabrication of the microfibers. In addition, physical evaluation including matrix degradation and entrapment efficiency was performed to give a comparative account of various formulations. The water uptake capacity of the blank and curcumin-loaded composite fibers was found to be in the range of 30.77 ± 2.17 to 100.00 ± 5.99 and 22.34 ± 1.11 to 56.34 ± 4.68, respectively. Composite microfibers presented a cumulative release of 85% in 72 h, confirming the prolonged release potential of the composite fibers. The drug release followed an anomalous (non-Fickian) release behavior asserting the role of degradation and diffusion. In an in vivo full-thickness cutaneous wound model, the composite microfibers provided higher degree of contraction 96.89 ± 3.76% as compared to the marketed formulation (Vicco turmeric cream). In conclusion, this all-natural, alginate-gelatin-curcumin composite has the potential to be explored as a cost-effective wound healing platform.

Aster koraiensis extract improves impaired skin wound healing during hyperglycemia

Background

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most common diseases found across the world. Aster koraiensis extract (AKE) has a protective effect on diabetic complications such as diabetic retinopathy. However, the effects of AKE on hyperglycemia-linked impairment of wound healing during DM have not been elucidated. In this study, we investigated the effects of AKE on delayed wound healing induced by DM.

Methods

DM was induced by intraperitoneal administration of streptozotocin (STZ; 75 mg/kg) to Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. Next, a wound was induced on the back of rats after administration of STZ. Further, AKE was prepared using an alcoholic extraction of A. koraiensis and orally administered daily for 18 days. Wound healing was evaluated using an in vitro migration assay and measuring the wound area in vivo. Skin tissue thickness was evaluated using hematoxylin and eosin staining. Matrix metalloprotease (MMP) activity and expression were detected using zymography and immunohistochemistry.

Results

AKE administration improved the delayed migration of keratinocytes in hyperglycemic animals. It also attenuated an increase in keratinocyte MMP-2/9 activity induced by hyperglycemia. AKE protected against DM-induced impaired wound healing in rats and prevented the degradation of skin tissue induced by DM. In addition, AKE attenuated DM-induced increase in MMP-2/9 expression in skin tissue.

Conclusions

In conclusion, AKE may promote wound healing by re-epithelization via promotion of keratinocyte migration and by attenuating the disruption of the skin tissue layer via MMP-2/9 inhibition during hyperglycemia.