Comparative Study of the in vitro Antioxidant Properties of Methanolic Extracts of Chromolaena odorata and Ageratum conyzoides used in Wound Healing

Baeckea frutescens L. Promotes wound healing by upregulating expression of TGF-β, IL-1 β, VEGF and MMP-2

Baeckea frutescens L. has been traditionally used for treating snakebites and is known to possess antifebrile and hemostatic properties. These properties are closely related to wound healing. This study aimed to evaluate the wound healing properties of B. frutescens leaves extract (BFLE) in vitro and in vivo. The in vitro study focused on proliferation, migration, and expression of TGF-β, IL-1β, VEGF, and MMP-2 genes and proteins. The in vivo study included excisional wound healing, histology, and tensile strength studies. The ethanolic extract of B. frutescens (BFLE) was tested for its effects on proliferation and migration using keratinocytes (HaCaT) and fibroblasts (BJ) cells. Gene and protein expression related to wound healing were analyzed using real-time PCR and Western blot assays. The wound healing properties of BFLE were evaluated in vivo using Wistar albino rats, focusing on excisional wound healing, histology, and tensile strength studies. The BFLE displayed significant proliferative and migratory effects on keratinocytes and fibroblasts cells, while upregulating the expression of TGF-β, IL-1β, VEGF, and MMP-2 genes and proteins. BFLE also exhibited significant wound healing effects on Wistar albino rats' excisional wounds and improved the overall tensile strength. The results suggest that BFLE has strong wound healing properties, as demonstrated by its ability to increase keratinocytes and fibroblasts proliferation and migration, upregulate genes and proteins involved in the wound healing process, and improve wound healing rates and tensile strength. The findings of this study provide important insights into the potential use of B. frutescens as a natural wound healing agent.

Hoslundia opposita vahl; a potential source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant and antibiofilm activity for wound healing

BACKGROUND

Biofilms and oxidative stress retard wound healing. The resistance of biofilms to antibiotics has led to a search for alternative approaches in biofilm elimination. Antioxidants work synergistically with antibacterial agents against biofilms. Hence recent research has suggested plants as candidates in the development of new alternatives in biofilm treatments and as antioxidants due to the presence of phytocompounds which are responsible for their bioactivities. Hoslundia opposita Vahl is one of the plants used by traditional healers to treat wounds and other infections, this makes it a potential candidate for drug discovery hence, in this study, we investigate the antibiofilm and antioxidant activity of methanolic extract of hoslundia opposita Vahl from Uganda. We also identify phytochemicals responsible for its bioactivity.

METHOD

the plant was extracted by maceration using methanol, and the extract was investigated for antioxidant activity using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) assay. The antibiofilm activity using microtiter plate assay (MTP) assay where the Minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration required to inhibit 50% or 90% of the biofilm (MBIC50 and MBIC90) and Minimum biofilm eradication concentration required to remove 50% or 90% of the biofilm (MBEC50 and MBEC90) were measured. It was further analysed for its phytochemical composition using quantitative screening, as well as Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and Liquid chromatography mass-spectrometry (LC-MS).

RESULTS

H. Opposita Vahl extract showed good antioxidant activity with of 249.6 mg/mL. It inhibited the growth of P. aeruginosa and S. aureus biofilms with MBIC50 of 28.37 mg/mL and 10 mg/mL, respectively. It showed the ability to eradicate P. aeruginosa and S. aureus biofilms with MBEC50 of 23.85 and 39.01 mg/mL respectively. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, and phenols. GC-MS analysis revealed 122 compounds in the extract of which, 23 have evidence of antioxidant or antibiofilm activity in literature. The most abundant compounds were; 1,4- Citric acid, Tetracontane-1,40-diol (43.43.3%, 1, Olean-12-en-28-oic acid, 3-hydroxy-, methyl ester, (3.beta) (15.36%) 9-Octadecenamide (12.50%), Squalene (11.85%) Palmitic Acid 4TMS (11.28%), and alpha Amyrin (11.27%). The LC-MS identified 115 and 57 compounds in multiple reaction mode (MRM) and scan modes respectively.

CONCLUSION

H. opposita Vahl showed antibiofilm and antioxidant activity due to bioactive compounds identified, hence the study justifies its use for wound healing. It can be utilised in further development of new drugs as antibiofilm and antioxidants.

Effects of Drying Temperature and Solvents on In Vitro Diabetic Wound Healing Potential of Moringa oleifera Leaf Extracts

The delayed healing of wounds among people with diabetes is a severe problem worldwide. Hyperglycemia and increased levels of free radicals are the major inhibiting factors of wound healing in diabetic patients. Plant extracts are a rich source of polyphenols, allowing them to be an effective agent for wound healing. Drying temperature and extraction solvent highly affect the stability of polyphenols in plant materials. However, there is a need to optimize the extraction protocol to ensure the efficacy of the final product. For this purpose, the effects of drying temperature and solvents on the polyphenolic composition and diabetic wound healing activity of Moringa oleifera leaves were examined in the present research. Fresh leaves were oven dried at different temperatures (10 °C, 30 °C, 50 °C, and 100 °C) and extracted in three solvents (acetone, ethanol, and methanol) to obtain twelve extracts in total. The extracts were assessed for free radical scavenging and antihyperglycemic effects using DPPH (2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl) and α- glucosidase inhibition assays. Alongside this, a scratch assay was performed to evaluate the cell migration activity of M. oleifera on the human retinal pigment epithelial cell line. The cytotoxicity of the plant extracts was assessed on human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) and hepatocellular carcinoma (Huh-7) cell lines. Using high-performance liquid chromatography, phenolic compounds in extracts of M. oleifera were identified. We found that an ethanol-based extract prepared by drying the leaves at 10 °C contained the highest amounts of identified polyphenols. Moringa oleifera extracts showed remarkable antioxidant, antidiabetic, and cell migration properties. The best results were obtained with leaves dried at 10 °C and 30 °C. Decreased activities were observed with drying temperatures of 50 °C and above. Moreover, M. oleifera extracts exhibited no toxicity on RPE cells, and the same extracts were cytotoxic for Huh-7 cells. This study revealed that M. oleifera leaves extracts can enhance wound healing in diabetic conditions due to their antihyperglycemic, antioxidant, and cell migration effects. The leaves of this plant can be an excellent therapeutic option when extracted at optimum conditions.

Effect of apple peel extract on diabetes-induced peripheral neuropathy and wound injury

PURPOSE

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) affects up to 50 % diabetic patients. Moreover, uncontrolled diabetes associated with impaired wound healing. The present study was aimed at exploring the effect of apple peel extract (APE) on type 2 diabetes (T2D)-induced DPN and delayed wound healing.

METHODS

In adult male Sprague-Dawley rats on high-fat diet, a single low dose streptozotocin (STZ, 35 mg/kg) was administered via intraperitoneal route to induce T2D. Plantar test using Hargreaves apparatus was used to evaluate the DPN. Six different groups of rats were treated orally with saline (naïve control and DPN control), APE (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) and gabapentin (30 mg/kg) daily for 7 consecutive days and thermal paw withdrawal latency (PWL) was measured. To elucidate the underlying antioxidant effect of APE, the catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH) and malonaldehyde (MDA) levels were measured. To evaluate the wound healing potential of APE, excision ischemic open wound model was used. Six different groups of rats were applied with 2 % gum acacia (naïve control and diabetic control), 1 % silver sulfadiazine (SSD) cream and APE cream (5, 10 and 20 %) twice daily for 28 days. Dry connective tissue parameters like hydroxyproline and hexosamine were also measured to further confirm the wound healing activity.

RESULTS

Diabetes produced thermal hyperalgesia in rats with a significant decrease in PWL as compared to naive controls indicating induction of DPN. APE and gabapentin significantly improved PWL in diabetic animals. Biochemical analysis revealed a significant improvement in oxidative stress parameters such as catalase, GSH and MDA. Wound closure was significantly more after day 15 of topical application of APE and SSD as compared to control group. APE significantly increased hydroxyproline and hexosamine levels as compared to standard cream. Moreover, histopathology revealed that, topical application of APE cream showed an enhanced healing process.

CONCLUSIONS

On the basis of the findings, we conclude that APE has a potential to be used as a therapeutic intervention for the management of DPN and delayed wound healing in the diabetic condition.

Phytochemical constituents and ethnopharmacological properties of Ageratum conyzoides L

Ageratum conyzoides L. (Asteraceae) is an invasive aromatic herb with immense therapeutic importance. The herb is distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. A. conyzoides has imparted numerous ethnomedicinal uses because it has been used to cure various ailments that include leprosy, skin disorders, sleeping sickness, rheumatism, headaches, dyspnea, toothache, pneumonia and many more. A number of phytoconstituents have been scrutinized such as alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenes, chromenes, and sterols from almost every part of this plant. These phytoconstituents have shown diverse pharmacological properties including antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, anticancer, antiprotozoal, antidiabetic, spasmolytic, allelopathy, and many more. The plant A. conyzoides has provided a platform for doing pharmaceutical and toxicological research in order to isolate some promising active compounds and authenticate their safety in clinical uses. A. conyzoides provides principal information for advanced studies in the field of pharmaceutical industries and agriculture. Present review article describes the cytogenetics, ethnobotany, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicological aspects of A. conyzoides.

Medicinal plants and their effects on diabetic wound healing

Wounds have a serious negative impact on the health-care economy of a country, especially on the economy of developing countries where resources are poor and funding is very limited. It is presumed that about 80% of people living in developing countries use traditional medicines which are majorly prepared from medicinal plants to meet their primary health-care needs. Due to the large reservoir of medicinal plants and adequate traditional knowledge on wound healing, many people in Africa and other developing countries use medicinal plants in the treatment of diabetic wounds and related complications. Wound healing in the external and internal biological organs involves a series of complex overlapping processes which demand excellent communication between cells. It is an orderly and highly controlled process characterized by hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. Diabetes is a global health problem predicted to rise to over 642 million by 2040. The propelling factor responsible for the increase in morbidity and mortality of diabetes is linked to vascular complications as well as the failure of the wound healing processes in diabetic state. Different approaches have been adopted in the treatment of diabetic wounds, and medicinal plants are certainly one of those approaches that have drawn global attention. In this review paper, the effects of medical plants on wound healing in diabetic state as well as factors affecting wound healing and the mechanism of action of medicinal plants are examined.