PCL/Andiroba Oil (Carapa guianensis Aubl.) Hybrid Film for Wound Healing Applications

Valorization of Carapa guianensis Aubl. seeds treated by compressed n-propane

This study evaluated the oil content obtained from andiroba seeds by pressurized n-propane at different conditions of temperature (25, 35, and 45 °C) and pressure (40, 60, and 80 bar), and conventional extraction technique using n-hexane as the solvent. Kinetic extraction curves were fitted using Sovová's mathematical model. The chemical characterization of the oil was reported as well as the protein content in the extraction by-product. Pressurized extractions conducted at 25 °C provided the highest oil recovery (~45 wt%) from the seeds. The increase in pressure at 25 ºC favored obtaining oil with higher Stigmasterol contents, however, the Squalene content was higher in the oil obtained at 40 bar. The oils with the highest concentration phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity were obtained at 80 bar. Extraction with n-propane provided oils with higher levels of phenolic compounds, however, with antioxidant activity similar to conventional extraction. For all evaluated extractions, the product showed a predominance of oleic and palmitic acids, with similar values of oxidative stability. The extraction of the by-product with the highest soluble protein content was obtained under mild processing conditions (25 °C and 40 bar) with n-propane.

Effects of andiroba oil (Carapa guianensis aublet) on the immune system in inflammation and wound healing: A scoping review

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Andiroba seed oil (Carapa guianensis Aubl.) is widely used by traditional populations in tropical countries, especially in the Brazilian Amazon, because of its anti-inflammatory, antirheumatic, antiseptic, healing and antipyretic properties, among others, which makes it useful for the treatment, mainly, of skin afflictions and wounds.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To describe the modulation of the immune system by andiroba oil (Carapa guianensis Aubl.) in inflammation and wound healing.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A scoping review was performed, following the recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) and PRISMA for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). As inclusion criteria, in vitro, in vivo, ex vivo, and clinical studies were selected, in Portuguese, English, or Spanish, in thirteen databases of published studies, gray literature, and references of the included studies, which deal with immune modulation by andiroba oil in the context of the various therapeutic applications that make use of its anti-inflammatory and wound healing properties. The selection of information sources was carried out by two independent reviewers between November 2022 and January 2023. The process of data extraction and evidence analysis was conducted by four pairs of independent reviewers between January and February 2023.

RESULTS

22 sources of evidence were included in this scoping review, mostly scientific articles published between 2005 and 2021 with in vivo sampling. The evidence suggests that andiroba oil reduces inflammation and promotes the healing of wounds of multiple etiologies by reducing leukocyte infiltration, increasing phagocytic activity, enhancing interleukin and inflammatory cytokine activity, promoting fibroblast recovery, increasing growth factors, reducing apoptotic cells, promoting reepithelialization, as well as promoting angiogenesis, reducing edema, and stimulating the production of glucocorticoids that alleviate pain. Additionally, different formulations of the oil (such as nanoemulsions, films and gels) are more effective in modulating inflammation and wound healing compared to in natura oil.

CONCLUSIONS

Evidence in the literature suggests that andiroba oil (Carapa guianensis Aubl.) has positive effects on immune modulation in inflammation and wound healing, which makes it a biocompound with high therapeutic potential.

Incorporation of essential oils in polymeric films for biomedical applications

Natural and synthetic biodegradable polymers are widely used to obtain more sustainable films with biological, physicochemical, and mechanical properties for biomedical purposes. The incorporation of essential oils (EOs) in polymeric films can optimize the biological activities of these EOs, protect them from degradation, and serve as a prototype for new biotechnological products. This article aims to discuss updates over the last 10 years on incorporating EOs into natural and synthetic biodegradable polymer films for biomedical applications. Chitosan, alginates, cellulose, and proteins such as gelatine, silk, and zein are among the natural polymers most commonly used to prepare biodegradable films for release EOs. In addition to these, the most cited synthetic biodegradable polymers are poly(L-lactide) (PLA), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), and poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL). The EOs of clove, cinnamon, tea tree, eucalyptus, frankincense, lavender, thyme and oregano incorporated into polymeric films have been the most studied EOs in recent years in the biomedical field. Biomedical applications include antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria and fungi, anticancer activity, potential for tissue engineering and regeneration with scaffolds and wound healing as dressings. Thus, this article reports on the importance of incorporating EOs into biodegradable polymer films, making these systems especially attractive for various biomedical applications.

Double-blind, vehicle-controlled clinical investigation of peptide OS-01 for skin rejuvenation

INTRODUCTION

Senescent cells contribute to age-related tissue deterioration, including the skin, which plays important roles in overall health and social interactions. This study aimed to assess the effects of the senotherapeutic peptide, OS-01 (a.k.a. Pep 14), on skin.

METHODS

A 12-week split-face, double-blinded, vehicle-controlled study involving 22 participants was conducted. The OS-01-containing formulation was applied to one side of the face, while the other side received an identical control formulation lacking the peptide. Skin characteristics were assessed using instrumental measurements, expert clinical grading, and subjective questionnaires.

RESULTS

Results showed that the OS-01 formulation significantly improved one aspect of skin barrier function, as evidenced by reduced trans-epidermal water loss compared to both baseline and vehicle control. Expert grading and Antera 3D image analysis revealed a reduction in wrinkle appearance and indentation in the periorbital area, and improved skin texture and radiance on both sides of the face, with the OS-01-containing formulation demonstrating superior results. Participants also perceived improvements in skin hydration, smoothness, radiance, and overall appearance.

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest that the OS-01 formulation promotes skin health by strengthening the skin barrier, protecting against dehydration, reducing the appearance of wrinkles, and improving skin texture and radiance. These effects are likely attributed to the senotherapeutic properties of OS-01 in reducing cellular senescence and its associated detrimental effects.

In vitro assessment of Momordica charantia/Hypericum perforatum oils loaded PCL/Collagen fibers: Novel scaffold for tissue engineering

The research on tissue engineering applications has been progressing to manufacture ideal tissue scaffold biomaterials. In this study, a double-layered electrospun biofiber scaffold biomaterial including Polycaprolactone (PCL)/Collagen (COL) fibrous inner layer and PCL/ Momordica charantia (MC) and Hypericum perforatum (HP) oils fibrous outer layer was developed to manufacture a functional, novel tissue scaffold with the advantageous mechanical and biological properties. The main approach was to combine the natural perspective using medicinal oils with an engineering point of view to fabricate a potential functional scaffold for tissue engineering. Medicinal plants MC and HP are rich in functional oils and incorporation of them in a tissue scaffold will unveil their potential to augment both new tissue formation and wound healing. In this study, a novel double-layered scaffold prototype was fabricated using electrospinning technique with two PCL fiber layers, first is composed of collagen, and second is composed of oils extracted from medicinal plants. Initially, the composition of plant oils was analyzed. Thereafter the biofiber scaffold layers were fabricated and were evaluated in terms of morphology, physicochemistry, thermal and mechanical features, wettability, in vitro bio-degradability. Double-layered scaffold prototype was further analyzed in terms of in vitro biocompatibility and antibacterial effect. The medicinal oils blend provided antioxidant and antibacterial properties to the novel PCL/Oils layer. The results signify that inner PCL/COL layer exhibited advanced biodegradability of 8.5% compared to PCL and enhanced wettability with 11.7° contact angle. Strength of scaffold prototype was 5.98 N/mm2 thanks to the elastic PCL fibrous matrix. The double-layered functional biofiber scaffold enabled 92% viability after 72 h contact with fibroblast cells and furthermore provided feasible attachment sites for the cells. The functional scaffold prototype's noteworthy mechanical, chemical, and biological features enable it to be suggested as a different novel biomaterial with the potential to be utilized in tissue engineering applications.

Polycaprolactone-Based Films Incorporated with Birch Tar-Thermal, Physicochemical, Antibacterial, and Biodegradable Properties

We present new polymer materials consisting of polycaprolactone (PCL), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and birch tar (D). PEG was introduced into the polymer matrix in order to obtain a plasticizing effect, while tar was added to obtain antibacterial properties and to change the physicochemical properties of the film. The materials were obtained by the solvent method and characterized using a variety of methods to test their performance and susceptibility to biodegradation. The obtained data indicate that the introduction of the bioactive substance (D) into PCL improved the thermal stability and significantly lowered the Young's modulus values of the tested polymers. Moreover, the addition of birch tar improved the barrier and bacteriostatic properties, resulting in a reduction in the growth of pathogenic bacteria on the surface of the film. The films are not mutagenic but are susceptible to biodegradation in various environments. Due to their properties, they have potential for application in agriculture and horticulture and for packaging food, mainly vegetables grown in the field.

Poly (ε-caprolactone)-Based Scaffolds with Multizonal Architecture: Synthesis, Characterization, and In Vitro Tests

Tissue engineering is vital in treating injuries and restoring damaged tissues, aiming to accelerate regeneration and optimize the complex healing process. In this study, multizonal scaffolds, designed to mimic tissues with bilayer architecture, were prepared using the rotary jet spinning technique (RJS scaffolds). Polycaprolactone and different concentrations of alginate hydrogel (2, 4, and 6% m/v) were used. The materials were swollen in pracaxi vegetable oil (PO) (Pentaclethra macroloba) and evaluated in terms of surface morphology, wettability, functional groups, thermal behavior, crystallinity, and cytotoxicity. X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed the disappearance of the diffraction peak 2θ = 31.5° for samples from the polycaprolactone/pracaxi/alginate (PCLOA) group, suggesting a reduction of crystallinity according to the presence of PO and semi-crystalline structure. Wettability gradients (0 to 80.91°) were observed according to the deposition layer and hydrogel content. Pore diameters varied between 9.27 μm and 37.57 μm. Molecular interactions with the constituents of the formulation were observed via infrared spectra with Fourier transform (FTIR), and their influence was detected in the reduction of the maximum degradation temperature within the groups of scaffolds (polycaprolactone/alginate (PCLA) and PCLOA) about the control. In vitro tests indicated reduced cell viability in the presence of alginate hydrogel and PO, respectively.

Comprehensive Characterization of Oils and Fats of Six Species from the Colombian Amazon Region with Industrial Potential

The Colombian Amazon is a megadiverse region with high potential for commercial use in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic industries, constantly expanding and looking for new alternatives from natural resources; unfortunately, few characterization reports of its profitable non-timber species in Colombia have been conducted. This work aimed to perform a comprehensive analysis of traditionally used species: Carapa guianensis (Andiroba), Euterpe precatoria (Asai), Mauritia flexuosa (Miriti), Astrocaryum murumuru (Murumuru), Plukenetia volubilis (Sacha Inchi), and Caryodendron orinocense H.Karst (Cacay). For this purpose, oil and fat quality indices, phytosterol, carotenoid, tocopherol, and tocotrienol content, as well as density and refractive index, were measured to establish their quality level. Multivariate analysis showed four groups of samples; such differences were mainly due to the composition rather than quality indices and physical properties, especially the content of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. All species reported a precise composition, which makes them noninterchangeable, and Miriti oil arose as the most versatile ingredient for the industry. The Colombian Amazon region is a promising source of quality raw material, especially for oils/fats and unsaturated fatty acids; this resulted in the most interest for pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic purposes.

Precise Fabrication of Porous Microspheres by Iso-Density Emulsion Combined with Microfluidics

Polymer porous microspheres with large specific surface areas and good fluidity have promising important applications in the biomedical field. However, controllable fabrication of porous microspheres with precise size, morphology, and pore structure is still a challenge, and phase separation caused by the instability of the emulsion is the main factor affecting the precise preparation of porous microspheres. Herein, a method combining the iso-density emulsion (IDE) template and microfluidics was proposed to realize the controllable preparation of polymer porous microspheres. The IDE exhibited excellent stability with minimal phase separation within 4 h, thus showing potential advantages in the large-scale preparation of porous microspheres. With the IDE template combined microfluidics technique and the use of a customized amphoteric copolymer, PEG-b-polycaprolactone, polycaprolactone (PCL) porous microspheres with porosity higher than 90% were successfully prepared. Afterwards, the main factors, including polymer concentration, water–oil ratio and homogenization time were investigated to regulate the pore structure of microspheres, and microspheres with different pore sizes (1–30 μm) were obtained. PCL porous microspheres exhibited comparable cell viability relative to the control group and good potential as cell microcarriers after surface modification with polydopamine. The modified PCL porous microspheres implanted subcutaneously in rats underwent rapid in vivo degradation and tissue ingrowth. Overall, this study demonstrated an efficient strategy for the precise preparation of porous microspheres and investigated the potential of the as-prepared PCL porous microspheres as cell microcarriers and micro-scaffolds.

Synthesis and Characterization of Natural Polymeric Membranes Composed of Chitosan, Green Banana Peel Extract and Andiroba Oil

Chitosan comprises polymeric macromolecules with technical and biological properties that have been used in biomedical healing applications requiring anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory capacities worldwide. In the tropical regions, green banana peel extract and andiroba oil are considered natural products with wound healing properties. The present study, for the first time, synthesized chitosan/green banana peel extract/andiroba oil (CGA) membranes and analyzed them using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the swelling and moisture tests. The CGA membranes together with control membranes of plain chitosan and chitosan plus green banana peel extract, were characterized by contact angle measurement, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Macroscopic analysis showed significant differences in color and transparency caused by the number of decoction days used for extract preparation and the oil content. SEM observations disclosed the formation of two phases, lipid and polymer, in the CGA. The number of decoction days and the andiroba oil content were inversely related to the swelling moisture uptake. All membranes were found to be hydrophilic with contact angles less than 90°. The incorporation of plant extract and oil promoted the appearance of related XRD peaks. DSC curves revealed a reduction in the enthalpy of the CGA membranes compared with plain chitosan, which might be attributed to the evaporation of the natural extract and oil. Based on these findings, the studied newly synthesized membranes demonstrated a potential for healing epithelial lesions.

Chitosan Membrane Containing Copaiba Oil (Copaifera spp.) for Skin Wound Treatment

The interaction of copaiba oil in the polymer matrix of chitosan can produce a favorable synergistic effect and potentiate properties. Indeed, the bioactive principles present in copaiba oil have anti-inflammatory and healing action. In the present work, chitosan membranes containing different contents of copaiba oil copaíba (0.1, 0.5, 1.0 and 5.0% (v/v)) were for the first time investigated. The membranes were developed by the casting method and analyzed for their morphology, degree of intumescence, moisture content, contact angle, Scanning Electron Microscope, and X-ray diffractometry. These chitosan/copaiba oil porous membranes disclosed fluid absorption capacity, hydrophilic surface, and moisture. In addition, the results showed that chitosan membranes with the addition of 1.0% (v/v) of copaiba oil presented oil drops with larger diameters, around 123.78 μm. The highest fluid absorption indexes were observed in chitosan membranes containing 0.1 and 0.5% (v/v) of copaiba oil. In addition, the copaiba oil modified the crystalline structure of chitosan. Such characteristics are expected to favor wound treatment. However, biological studies are necessary for the safe use of chitosan/copaiba oil membrane as a biomaterial.