Plant Macromolecules as Biomaterials for Wound Healing

Natural biomolecules are increasingly relevant for biomedical applications and tissue engineering for being able to produce an effect on chemical signals, organization of cells, and restitution of extracellular matrix in lesioned tissues. In this chapter, we will address the potential of plant macromolecules, in particular, carbohydrates and proteins such as hemicelluloses and lectins. While lectins are mostly carbohydrate-binding proteins, which can interact with cell surfaces to initiate anti-inflammatory pathways, as well as immunomodulatory functions, hemicelluloses are remarkably known by their ability to form viscous solutions even at low concentrations, which makes them an excellent candidate as vehicle to carry different sorts of biomolecules. Taking into account the complexity of the whole healing process, as an overlapping and coordinated cascade of events, most of the properties presented here by those materials may be of interest to the wound-care market

Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and wound healing activities of cashew apple (Anacardium occidentale L.) juice

Anacardium occidentale L. (Anacardiaceae), conhecido popularmente como caju, à um tÃpico pseudofruto tropical cujo suco à popularmente consumido no paÃs pelas excelentes propriedades sensoriais e nutricionais, entretanto, os produtos sÃo destinados ao mercado interno com extensas perdas de pedÃnculos in natura. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar o potencial antioxidante, anti-inflamatÃrio e cicatrizante do caju in vitro e in vivo. Para tanto foi utilizado o suco do pseudofruto in natura, obtidos de clones de cajueiro CCP 76 nos estÃdios de maturaÃÃo 2 (verde) e 6 (maduro). Foram determinados no suco os teores de polifenÃis totais, Ãcido ascÃrbico, antocianinas totais, flavonÃides amarelos, carotenÃides, compostos fenÃlicos alÃm da atividade antioxidante total. Para a avaliaÃÃo das atividades anti-inflamatÃria e cicatrizante in vivo foram utilizados camundongos, mantidos sob condiÃÃes adequadas de luz, temperatura e recebendo Ãgua e raÃÃo à vontade. O protocolo experimental foi aprovado pelo Comità de Ãtica em ExperimentaÃÃo Animal da UFC (no de aprovaÃÃo 85/09). Para avaliar o efeito do tratamento oral durante 30 dias consecutivos com os sucos de caju verde e maduro, utilizou-se a metodologia do edema de orelha induzido por xileno. Para avaliar o efeito dos sucos de caju verde e maduro na cicatrizaÃÃo, lesÃes foram induzidas no dorso do camundongo 15 dias apÃs o tratamento de suplementaÃÃo com os sucos. As lesÃes cutÃneas foram submetidas a avaliaÃÃes clÃnicas atravÃs de anÃlises morfomÃtricas e macroscÃpicas durante 21 dias. Os resultados foram expressos como mÃdia e erro padrÃo da mÃdia. Para avaliar as diferenÃas significativas entre as mÃdias dos diferentes grupos, aplicou-se o teste de Mann-Whitney e ANOVA e as diferenÃas foram consideradas significativas quando p < 0,05. O perfil fitoquÃmico dos sucos de pseudofrutos de caju verde e de maduro foi distinto, no qual o suco de caju maduro apresentou teores de antioxidantes nÃo enzimÃticos e capacidade antioxidante total superior ao suco de caju verde. Os resultados dos ensaios anti-inflamatÃrio e cicatrizante mostraram que o suco de caju verde reduziu eficientemente a inflamaÃÃo e acelerou a cicatrizaÃÃo de feridas durante a fase intermediÃria desse processo quando comparado ao suco de caju maduro. O suco de caju maduro parece agir na fase mais tardia da cicatrizaÃÃo. Estudos complementares devem ser realizados para maior compreensÃo das atividades biolÃgicas dos sucos de caju verde e maduro atravÃs da identificaÃÃo de compostos quÃmicos responsÃveis pela aÃÃo funcional dos mesmos.Anacardium occidentale L. (Anacardiaceae), known as cashew, is a typical tropical pseudo whose juice is highly consumed in Brazil for its excellent sensory and nutritional properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and wound healing activities of cashew apple in vitro and in vivo. The juice from fresh fruit were obtained from cashew clones CCP 76 in the maturation stage 2 (unripe) and 6 (ripe). Were determined in the juice total polyphenols, vitamin C, anthocyanins, flavanols, carotenoids, phenolic compounds and the total antioxidant activity. For the evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity and healing in vivo was performed in mice, kept under appropriate conditions of light, temperature and given water and food ad libitum. The experimental protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee for Animal Experiments of the UFC (n 85/09). To evaluate the effect of oral treatment for 30 consecutive days with the juice of cashew apple ripe and unripe, we used the methodology of the ear edema induced by xylene. Regarding the effect of treatment with the juice of cashew in the healing lesions were induced on the backs of mice 15 days after initiation of treatment. The skin lesions by morphometric and macroscopic analysis were subjected to clinical evaluation for 21 days. Results were expressed as mean and standard deviation. To evaluate the significant differences between the means of different groups, we applied the Mann-Whitney test and ANOVA and differences were considered significant when p <0.05. The ripe cashew apple juice (RCAJ) phytochemistry profile was better with levels of non-enzymatic antioxidants and total antioxidant capacity than the unripe cashew apple juice (UNCAJ). The anti-inflammatory and healing results showed that the UNCAJ reduced inflammation and accelerated wound healing process when compared to RCAJ. The present study demonstrated that the UNCAJ present high biological activity in inflammatory and wound healing models than the RCAJ

Fruit as potent natural antioxidants and their biological effects

The consumption of fruit has increased in the last 20 years, along with the growing recognition of its nutritional and protective values. Many of the benefits of a diet rich in fruit are attributed to the presence of different bioactive substances, such as vitamins, carotenoids and phenolic compounds. Flavanoids, a class of phenolic compounds, present particular antioxidant activity and thus provide protection against cellular damage caused by reactive oxygen species. Research suggests that an increased intake of plant foods is associated with a reduced incidence of chronic disease. There is currently a great deal of interest in the study of antioxidants, in particular due to the discovery of the damaging effects of free radicals to the body. Thus, this review aims to address the beneficial effects of the antioxidants present in fruits, on the neutralization of reactive species and the reduction of any damage they may cause

Fruit as potent natural antioxidants and their biological effects

The consumption of fruit has increased in the last 20 years, along with the growing recognition of its nutritional and protective values. Many of the benefits of a diet rich in fruit are attributed to the presence of different bioactive substances, such as vitamins, carotenoids and phenolic compounds. Flavanoids, a class of phenolic compounds, present particular antioxidant activity and thus provide protection against cellular damage caused by reactive oxygen species. Research suggests that an increased intake of plant foods is associated with a reduced incidence of chronic disease. There is currently a great deal of interest in the study of antioxidants, in particular due to the discovery of the damaging effects of free radicals to the body. Thus, this review aims to address the beneficial effects of the antioxidants present in fruits, on the neutralization of reactive species and the reduction of any damage they may cause