A Novel Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton Cell-Derived Phytocomplex Regulates Keratinocytes Inflammatory Cascade and Barrier Function and Preserves Vaginal Mucosal Integrity In Vivo

Abstract

In the last years, the medicinal plant Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton has gained scientific interest because leaf extracts, due to the presence of rosmarinic acid and other polyphenols, have shown anti-allergic and skin protective potential in pre-clinical studies. Nevertheless, the lack of standardized extracts has limited clinical applications to date. In this work, for the first time, a standardized phytocomplex of P. frutescens, enriched in rosmarinic acid and total polyphenols, was produced through innovative in vitro cell culture biotechnology and tested. The activity of perilla was evaluated in an in vitro inflammatory model of human keratinocytes (HaCaT) by monitoring tight junctions, filaggrin, and loricrin protein levels, the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and JNK MAPK signaling. In a practical health care application, the perilla biotechnological phytocomplex was tested in a multilayer model of vaginal mucosa, and then, in a preliminary clinical observation to explore its capacity to preserve vaginal mucosal integrity in women in peri-menopause. In keratinocytes cells, perilla phytocomplex demonstrated to exert a marked activity in epidermis barrier maintenance and anti-inflammatory effects, preserving tight junction expression and downregulating cytokines release through targeting JNK activation. Furthermore, perilla showed positive effects in retaining vaginal mucosal integrity in the reconstructed vaginal mucosa model and in vivo tests. Overall, our data suggest that the biotechnological P. frutescens phytocomplex could represent an innovative ingredient for dermatological applications.

The Identification and Cytotoxic Evaluation of Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt.) and Its Substituents

“…Specifically, volatile oil extracts showed negligible toxicity relative to HaCaT cells, reflecting their common applications in products like cosmetics, perfumes, or toiletries [52]. As confirmed by 24 hr cytotoxic tests on HaCaT cells, aligned with related studies [53,54], the potential of these oils for proliferation or wound healing remains a topic for future investigation.…”

Investigation on the Efficacy of Two Food Supplements Containing a Fixed Combination of Selected Probiotics and β-Glucans or Elderberry Extract for the Immune System: Modulation on Cytokines Expression in Human THP-1 and PBMC

“…EDTA-trypsin solution (Sigma-Aldrich) was used to detach cells from the flasks. Cell counts were performed microscopically (Leica, Wetzlar, Germany, 25×) using a hemocytometer [18].…”

“…Samples were tested at two different timings, 6 and 24 h, short and long exposure times that simulate a short term and chronic intake and, more important, that cover the whole curve of maximum release of the most part of cytokines as previously verified by our group in different cell lines [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] and as reported in [22] for THP-1 and [23,24] for PBMC.…”

Insights on the In Vitro Wound Healing Effects of Sedum telephium L. Leaf Juice

“…Current research is increasingly focusing on phytoderivatives, bioactive compounds derived from plants, as promising candidates for addressing this unmet medical need [17]. These natural compounds offer a 2 multifaceted approach to wound healing, targeting inflammation, infection, and tissue repair processes [18][19][20]. With growing evidence supporting their efficacy and safety, phytoderivatives represent a compelling frontier in the quest for novel therapies to combat chronic ulcers and improve patient outcomes.…”