Water Extract of Gromwell <i>(Lithospermum erythrorhizon)</i> Enhances Migration of Human Keratinocytes and Dermal Fibroblasts with Increased Lipid Synthesis in an in vitro Wound Scratch Model

Abstract

Background: Although organic extracts of gromwell (Lithospermum erythrorhizon) have been shown to promote wound healing, the wound healing effects of water extracts of gromwell (WG) that are commonly used in traditional remedies have not been elucidated. Objective: We investigated whether WG promotes the migration and/or proliferation of cultured human keratinocytes (CHK) or dermal fibroblasts in parallel with increases in lipid synthesis during in vitro wound healing. Methods: CHK or fibroblasts were treated with 1–1,000 µg/ml WG for up to 48 h following scratch wound formation. Cell migration was assessed by measuring coverage (in percent) from the wound margin, while cell proliferation and lipid synthesis were determined by [³H]thymidine incorporation into DNA fractions, and [³H]palmitate or [³H]serine incorporation into lipid fractions, respectively. Results: Low-dose WG (1 µg/ml) enhanced the wound coverage for both CHK and fibroblasts at 24 h, while cell proliferation was not altered in either cell types. Synthesis of both total lipids and individual lipid classes, including phospholipids, sphingolipids and neutral lipids, were found to be increased at 24 h in CHK treated with 1 µg/ml WG; in similarly treated fibroblasts, only the syntheses of sphingolipids (such as ceramides and glucosylceramides), but not other lipid species, were significantly increased. In contrast, a higher dose of WG (10–1,000 µg/ml) did not enhance wound coverage, and 100 µg/ml WG neither altered cell proliferation nor lipid synthesis in both CHK and fibroblasts. Conclusion: Low-dose WG (1 µg/ml) enhances the migration of both CHK and fibroblasts with increased lipid synthesis in an in vitro wound scratch model.

New Strategies for Preoperative Skin Antisepsis

“…It has been reported that liposomes facilitate the penetration into the skin [79,80]. The investigations focused on the penetration of intact liposomes into the human skin by means of fluoromicrography.…”

“…The investigations focused on the penetration of intact liposomes into the human skin by means of fluoromicrography. The results suggest that intact liposomes do not penetrate deeper than the corneal layer subsequent to external application [79,80,81]. …”

Polyvinyl Alcohol/Lithospermum Erythrorhizon Nanofibrous Membrane: Characterizations, In Vitro Drug Release, and Cell Viability

“…Andujar et al found that 1 µM of SK significantly improved intestinal wound healing without preventing the growth of intestinal epithelial cells (IEC-18) [20]. Low-dose water extracts of gromwell (1 µg/mL) enhanced the migration of both cultured human keratinocytes and fibroblasts with increased lipid synthesis in an in vitro wound scratch model [21]. Therefore, a maximum concentration of 1.4 µM of SK was used for following evaluations and discussions.…”

Gromwell (Lithospermum erythrorhizon) Supplementation Enhances Epidermal Levels of Ceramides, Glucosylceramides, β-Glucocerebrosidase, and Acidic Sphingomyelinase in NC/Nga Mice

“…The fractions containing Cer, GlcCer, and SM that had comigrated with the respective external standards were scanned by a TCL III scanner (DigiStore2; CAMAG) after treatment with cupric acetate-phosphoric acid, and heating to 160°C for 15 min as previously described. 14 The levels of Cer, GlcCer, and SM were quantified in each sample using calibration curves with the various concentrations of each respective external standard, and expressed as lg/lg protein. Calibration curves of each standard in the range of 5-50 lg/mL revealed good linearity with R 2 values exceeding 0.996 (density vs. concentration).…”

“…After measuring the protein concentration, 14 50 lL of supernatant in an assay buffer (0.1 M citric acid, 0.2 M sodium phosphate, and 0.5 mM sodium taurodeoxycholate at pH 5.6) was preheated at 37°C for 60 min and the reaction was initiated by adding 50 lL of the substrate solution (0.5 mM 4-MUG in assay buffer). After 1 h, the reaction was stopped by adding 1.25 mL of 200 mM carbonate-bicarbonate buffer (pH 10.5).…”