Evaluation of the Wound-healing Activity of Rice Cell Extracts in Vitro

Abstract

In the present study, we evaluated the in vitro wound-healing properties of two types of rice cell extracts (RCEs; prepared using ethanol and pressurized hot water extraction methods), using human dermal fibroblasts and keratinocytes. The effects of the RCEs (at 25-100 µg/ml) on cytotoxicity and cell migration were assessed. Both RCEs were not cytotoxic to the two cell types, instead increasing their proliferation by up to 25% in a dose-dependent manner compared with the controls. Furthermore, both RCEs significantly enhanced the migratory ability of the two cell types (fibroblast, 230-450%; keratinocyte, 170-350%). Additionally, we examined the effect of the RCEs on type I collagen synthesis, which is important in the wound reconstruction process. The RCEs significantly increased collagen type I mRNA and protein levels to a degree comparable to that induced by vitamin C. These results suggest the RCEs to be candidate materials for use in promoting wound healing, through their actions of increasing cell migration and accelerating wound re-epithelialization.