Flaxseed lignan wound healing formulation: Characterization and in vivo therapeutic evaluation

Anti-Oxidant and Anti-Cancer Properties of Flaxseed

Bioactive molecules present in plant products determine their very valuable health-promoting properties. Among the plants, due to these properties, particular attention is paid to the seeds of common flax (Linum usitatissimum L.), which have been used for over 6000 years and are known for their benefits. A review of 117 scientific articles indexed in PubMed/MEDLINE, ScienceDirect, and Wiley Online Library, published between 1997 and 2024, was conducted. These seeds are characterized by a high content of valuable nutrients, such as essential omega-3 fatty acids, including α-linolenic acid (ALA), lignans, isoflavones, phytoestrogens, flavonoids, vitamins, and minerals that influence the digestive system function and have anti-cancer properties. The presence of these bioactive compounds in flaxseeds provide anti-cancer properties.

Natural remedies medicine derived from flaxseed (secoisolariciresinol diglucoside, lignans, and α-linolenic acid) improve network targeting efficiency of diabetic heart conditions based on computational chemistry techniques and pharmacophore modeling

Cytokine storms lead to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Natural herbal compounds are considered the primary source of active agents with the potential to prevent or treat inflammatory-related pathologies such as CVD and diabetes. Flaxseed contains phytochemicals, including secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG), α-linolenic acid (ALA), and lignans, termed "SAL." Hence, we evaluated the effect of the SAL on the H9c2 cardiac cells in hyperlipidemic and hyperglycemic conditions. Here, candidate hub genes, TNF-α, IL6, SIRT1, NRF1, NPPA, and FGF7, were selected as effective genes in diabetic cardiovascular pathogenesis based on in-silico analysis and chemoinformatic. Myocardial infarction (MI) was induced using H9c2 cardiac cells in hyperlipidemic and hyperglycemic conditions. Real-time qPCR was conducted to assess the expression level of hub genes. This study indicated that SAL compounds bound to the Il-6, SIRT1, and TNF-α active sites as druggable candidate proteins based on the chemoinformatics analysis. This study displayed that the TNF-α, IL6, SIRT1, NRF1, NPPA, and FGF7 network dysfunction in MI models were ameliorated by SAL consumption. Furthermore, SAL compounds improved the function and myogenesis of H9c2 cells in hyperlipidemic and hyperglycemic conditions. Our data suggested that phytochemicals obtained from flaxseed might have proposed potential complementary treatment or preventive strategies for MI. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Phytochemicals obtained from flaxseed (SAL) could reverse diabetic heart dysfunction hallmarks and provide new potential treatment approaches in cardiovascular therapy. SAL could be considered complementary and alternative medicines for treating various disorders/diseases singly or synchronizing with prescription drugs.

Investigation of the Properties of Linen Fibers and Dressings

In antiquity, flax was used as a dressing for healing wounds. Currently, work is underway on the genetic modification of flax fibers to improve their properties. Genetic modifications have resulted in an increased content of antioxidants and more favorable mechanical properties. The works published so far have presented independent tests of fibers and dressings after appropriate technological treatments in cell cultures. This study aimed to compare the properties of the fibers and the dressing produced in cell cultures—hamster fibroblasts—V79. The research material was traditional NIKE fibers; genetically modified M, B, and MB fibers; and linen dressings obtained from these fibers. The extract from 48-h incubation of 40 mg of fiber in the culture medium, which was desolved into 10, 20, and 30 mg, was administered to the cell culture. On the other hand, a linen dressing was placed on cells with an area of 0.5 cm², 1 cm², 1.5 cm², and 2 cm². Cells with fiber or dressing were incubated for 48 h, and then, biological tests were performed, including cell viability (in propidium iodide staining), cell proliferation (in the SRB assay), evaluation of the intracellular free radical level (in the DCF-DA assay), genotoxicity (in the comet assay), assessment of the apoptotic and necrotic cells (in staining anexin-V and iodide propidium), the course of the cell cycle, and the scratch test. The correlation between apoptosis and genotoxicity and the levels of free radicals and genotoxicity were determined for the tested linen fibers and fabrics. The tests presented that the fibers are characterized by the ability to eliminate damaged cells in the elimination phase. However, the obtained fabrics gain different properties during the technological processing of the fibers into linen dressings. Linen fabrics have better regenerative properties for cells than fibers. The linseed dressing made of MB fiber has the most favorable regenerative properties.

Chronic Inflammation in Non-Healing Skin Wounds and Promising Natural Bioactive Compounds Treatment

Chronic inflammation is one of the hallmarks of chronic wounds and is tightly coupled to immune regulation. The dysregulation of the immune system leads to continuing inflammation and impaired wound healing and, subsequently, to chronic skin wounds. In this review, we discuss the role of the immune system, the involvement of inflammatory mediators and reactive oxygen species, the complication of bacterial infections in chronic wound healing, and the still-underexplored potential of natural bioactive compounds in wound treatment. We focus on natural compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial activities and their mechanisms of action, as well as on recent wound treatments and therapeutic advancements capitalizing on nanotechnology or new biomaterial platforms.

Flaxseed Lignans and Polyphenols Enhanced Activity in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Simple Summary

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic condition that affects millions of people globally. The present study highlights the enhanced activity of flaxseed lignans and polyphenols isolated from Linum usitatissimum in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Treatment with flaxseed extract showed enhanced glycosylated hemoglobin and blood glucose levels and reduced plasma cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides, urea and uric acid intensities, and plasma creatinine in the treated diabetic experimental animals, indicating beneficial effects—results sustained by histopathological observations of liver, pancreas, kidney, and spleen. Translation of this nutraceutical-based approach still requires further elucidation of its mechanism of action toward clinical applications.

Abstract

Flaxseeds play an important role in human health due to their chemical composition and recognized beneficial outcomes. This study investigated the antidiabetic effects of present lignans and polyphenols found in the flaxseed extract on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. The flaxseed administration produced favorable changes in body weight, food and water intake, and glycosylated hemoglobin and blood glucose quantities in the treated diabetic rats. Additionally, significant positive results were observed in the biochemical parameters, namely reduced plasma cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, plasma creatinine, and urea and uric acid levels, highlighting the seeds’ use in traditional medicine. The results were sustained by histopathological observations that showed better tissue preservation following the flaxseed diet. Overall, the consumption of flaxseeds produced moderate reduction in glucose levels and hyperlipidemia, together with improvement in the impaired organs’ function in diabetic rats. The daily administration of polyphenols and lignans compounds could impact therapeutic potential in diabetes management.

Effects and Characterization of Some Topical Ointments Based on Vegetal Extracts on Incision, Excision, and Thermal Wound Models

The present paper aims to formulate and characterize four phytotherapeutic ointments based on Hippophae fructus, Calendulae flos, Bardanae folium, and Millefolii herba, which are included in a novel ointment base. In order to investigate the healing properties of the ointments, in vivo experimental wound models of linear incision, circular excision, and thermal burn were performed on Wistar rats. Topical treatment was performed daily for 21 days. Determination of the wound contraction rate (WCR), the period of reepithelization, and histopathological examination were achieved. Additionally, for the tested ointments, oscillatory and rotational rheological tests were carried out, and for the extracts, HPLC analysis was performed. The results demonstrate that the tested novel ointments are safe for use and the most effective ointment proved to be the one based on Arctium lappa, followed by that of Calendulae flos.

Fucoidan Purified from Sargassum polycystum Induces Apoptosis through Mitochondria-Mediated Pathway in HL-60 and MCF-7 Cells

Fucoidans are biocompatible, heterogeneous, and fucose rich sulfated polysaccharides biosynthesized in brown algae, which are renowned for their broad-spectrum biofunctional properties. As a continuation of our preliminary screening studies, the present work was undertaken to extract polysaccharides from the edible brown algae Sargassum polycystum by a modified enzyme assisted extraction process using Celluclast, a food-grade cellulase, and to purify fucoidan by DEAE-cellulose anion exchange chromatography. The apoptotic and antiproliferative properties of the purified fucoidan (F5) were evaluated on HL-60 and MCF-7 cells. Structural features were characterized by FTIR and NMR analysis. F5 indicated profound antiproliferative effects on HL-60 leukemia and MCF-7 breast cancer cells with IC50 values of 84.63 ± 0.08 µg mL-1 and 93.62 ± 3.53 µg mL-1 respectively. Further, F5 treatment increased the apoptotic body formation, DNA damage, and accumulation of HL-60 and MCF-7 cells in the Sub-G1 phase of the cell cycle. The effects were found to proceed via the mitochondria-mediated apoptosis pathway. The Celluclast assisted extraction is a cost-efficient method of yielding fucoidan. With further studies in place, purified fucoidan of S. polycystum could be applied as functional ingredients in food and pharmaceuticals.

The Link Between Inflammaging and Degenerative Joint Diseases

Aging is an inevitable process in the human body that is associated with a multitude of systemic and localized changes. All these conditions have a common pathogenic mechanism characterized by the presence of a low-grade proinflammatory status. Inflammaging refers to all the processes that contribute to the occurrence of various diseases associated with aging such as frailty, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, sarcopenia, type 2 diabetes, or osteoarthritis. Inflammaging is systemic, chronic, and asymptomatic. Osteoarthritis and many age-related degenerative joint diseases are correlated with aging mechanisms such as the presence of an inflammatory microenvironment and the impaired link between inflammasomes and autophagy. There is a close relationship between chondrocyte activity and local articular environment changes due to cell senescence, followed by secretion of inflammatory mediators. In addition, systemic inflammaging can lead to cartilage destruction, pain, disability, and an impaired quality of life. The purpose of this review is to summarize the main mechanisms implicated in inflammaging and the connection it has with degenerative joint diseases.

Comparing isolated soy protein with flaxseed oil vs isolated soy protein with corn oil and wheat flour with corn oil consumption on muscle catabolism, liver function, blood lipid, and sugar in burn patients: a randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND

There is controversy regarding whether increasing isolated soy protein (ISP) with or without flaxseed oil (FO), as functional foods, would lead to reduce muscle catabolism and cachexia in burn patients.

METHODS

One hundred and eighty-eight patients were assessed for eligibility in this randomized controlled trial. Of these, seventy-three eligible patients (total burn surface area 20-50%) were randomly assigned to three groups, labeled as Control (wheat flour [WF] + corn oil [CO]), ISP + FO, and ISP + CO, to receive these nutrients for three weeks. Weight, body mass index (BMI), serum hepatic enzymes (alanine transaminase [ALT], aspartate transaminase [AST], alkaline phosphatase [ALP]), systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), 24-h urinary urea nitrogen excretion (UUN), serum creatinine, 24-h urinary creatinine (UUC) excretion, fasting blood sugar (FBS), triglyceride (TG), and cholesterol were measured.

RESULTS

Using analysis of covariance models in the intention-to-treat population (n = 73), we found that at three weeks, patients in the ISP groups had lost significantly less in weight and BMI compared to those in the control group (all P < 0.01). Nitrogen retention and serum creatinine (primary outcomes) increased significantly in the ISP groups compared with the control group. Even after controlling for potential covariates in ANCOVA models, changes in these indices were still statistically significant (P = 0.008 and P = 0.005 for nitrogen balance and serum creatinine, respectively). However, no such significant differences were found between the ISP groups. On the other hand, 24-h UUN, and UUC excretion, serum hepatic enzymes, FBS, TG, and cholesterol were not significant between the groups (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

ISP and FO compared to WF and CO reduced muscle catabolism and increased body weight in burn patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials, IRCT2014051817740N1 . Registered on 27 June 2014.

Antioxidant, nutritional and functional characteristics of wheat bread enriched with ground flaxseed hulls

Antioxidant capacity, nutritional and functional quality of wheat bread supplemented with 1-5% flaxseed hull (FH) were studied. Analyses of the chemically-extractable fraction show that supplementation with 5% of FH increased (compared to control) phenolics content (by 93%), radicals scavenging ability (by 176%) and reducing power (by 220%). Furthermore, phenolic antioxidants were bioaccessible in vitro (samples after simulated digestion). Fortification had no significant influence on rapidly and slowly digestible starch, in vitro starch digestibility and values of expected glycemic index; however, a decrease (up to 8%) of relative proteins digestibility was determined. Enrichment decreased loaf volume and increased crumb hardness. The results from sensory evaluation show that the incorporation of FH had a slightly unfavorable effect on bread sensory properties but ensured satisfactory consumer acceptability. In view of these facts, it is concluded that flaxseed hulls may be a beneficial food additive.

Designing bio-mimetic moxifloxacin loaded hydrogel wound dressing to improve antioxidant and pharmacology properties

Recently, it has been found that moxifloxacin, an antibiotic drug, promotes wound healing without induction to bacterial resistance.