Effect of Hydrogel Containing Achyrocline satureioides (Asteraceae) Extract-Loaded Nanoemulsions on Wound Healing Activity

• Published in: Pharmaceutics Vol. 14; no. 12; p. 2726
• Main Authors: Balestrin, Lucélia Albarello, Back, Patrícia Inês, Marques, Magno da Silva, Araújo, Gabriela de Moraes Soares, Carrasco, Mariana Corrêa Falkembach, Batista, Matheus Monteiro, Silveira, Tony, Rodrigues, Jamile Lima, Fachel, Flávia Nathiely Silveira, Koester, Leticia Scherer, Bassani, Valquiria Linck, Horn, Ana Paula, Dora, Cristiana Lima, Teixeira, Helder Ferreira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 06.12.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Achyrocline satureioides; Animals; Ethanol; Flavonoids; healing activity; Herbal medicine; hydrogel; Hydrogels; Injuries; nanoemulsion; Nanoemulsions; Skin; Triglycerides; Wound healing; Brazil; United States > US; Rio de Janeiro Brazil; nanoemulsion; Achyrocline satureioides; hydrogel; healing activity
• ISSN: 1999-4923; 1999-4923
• DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14122726

(Lam.) DC extract-loaded nanoemulsions have demonstrated potential for wound healing, with promising effects on keratinocyte proliferation. We carried out the first in vivo investigation of the wound healing activity of a hydrogel containing extract-loaded nanoemulsions. We prepared hydrogels by adding the gelling agent (Carbopol Ultrez) to extract-loaded nanoemulsions (~250 nm in diameter) obtained by spontaneous emulsification. The final flavonoid content in formulation was close to 1 mg/mL, as estimated by ultra-fast liquid chromatography. Permeation/retention studies using porcine ear skin showed that flavonoids reached deeper layers of pig ear skin when it was damaged (up to 3.2 µg/cm² in the dermis), but did not reach the Franz-type diffusion cell receptor fluid. For healing activity, we performed a dorsal wound model using Wistar rats, evaluating the lesion size, anti-inflammatory markers, oxidative damage, and histology. We found that extract-loaded formulations promoted wound healing by increasing angiogenesis by ~20%, reducing inflammation (tumor necrosis factor α) by ~35%, decreasing lipid damage, and improving the re-epithelialization process in lesions. In addition, there was an increase in the number of blood vessels and hair follicles for wounds treated with the formulation compared with the controls. Our findings indicate that the proposed formulation could be promising in the search for better quality healing and tissue reconstruction.