Preparation and characterization of polymeric microparticles loaded with Moringa oleifera leaf extract for exuding wound treatment

Medicinal plants used for cutaneous wound healing in Uganda; ethnomedicinal reports and pharmacological evidences

Background

Wounds have become a major health challenge worldwide, presenting marked humanistic and economic burdens such as disabilities and death. Annually, approximately 14 million people suffer from wounds worldwide and 80 % of these occur in developing countries like Uganda. In Uganda, besides many cases of daily wound occurrences, approximately 10 % of surgical procedures become septic wounds and consequently lead to increased morbidity and mortality. Accordingly, several ethnomedicinal studies have identified plants used for wound treatment in different parts of Uganda and the wound healing activities of some plants have been reported. However, at present, these information remain largely separated without an all-inclusive repository containing ethnomedicinal and pharmacological information of the plants used for wound healing in Uganda, thus retarding appropriate evaluation. Therefore, this review focused on extensively exploring the plants used for treating cutaneous wounds in Uganda, along with associated ethnomedicinal information and their globally reported pharmacological potential.

Methods

Electronic data bases including Google Scholar, PubMed, and Science Direct were searched using key terms for required information contained in English peer reviewed articles, books, and dissertations. Additionally, correlations between selected parameters were determined with coefficient of determination (r2).

Results

The literature survey revealed that 165 species belonging to 62 families are traditionally used to treat wounds in Uganda. Most of the species belonged to families of Asteraceae (14 %), Fabaceae (10 %), and Euphorbiaceae (7 %). The commonest plant parts used for wound treatment include leaf (48 %), root (22 %), stembark (11 %), and stem (7 %), which are prepared majorly by poultice (34 %), decoction (13 %), as well as powdering (25 %). Fifty-four (33 %) of the plant species have been investigated for their wound healing activities whereas, one hundred eleven (67 %) have not been scientifically investigated for their wound healing effects. Pearson correlation coefficient between the number of wound healing plant families per part used and percent of each plant part used was 0.97, and between the number of wound healing plant families per method of preparation and percent of each method of preparation was 0.95, showing in both strong positively marked relationships.

Conclusion

The preliminarily investigated plants with positive wound healing properties require further evaluation to possible final phases, with comprehensive identification of constituent bioactive agents. Additionally, the wound healing potential of the scientifically uninvestigated plants with claimed healing effects needs examination. Subsequently, information regarding efficacy, safety, bioactive principles, and mechanism of action could prove valuable in future development of wound healing therapies.

Moringa oleifera Use in Maintaining Oral Health and Its Potential Use in Regenerative Dentistry

Phytomedicine refers to the use of naturally derived products to cure and mitigate human conditions. Natural products have the advantages of causing minimum side effects, being biocompatible, available, and economical, with a wide array of biological activities. Reports have described the use of natural products with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties to treat oral conditions and promote wound healing. Moringa oleifera, known as the "drumstick" or "horseradish" tree, is believed to have medicinal properties regarding a range of medical conditions, though there is limited information on its use in oral medicine. This narrative review focuses on the use of Moringa extracts in the management of oral conditions, including oral infections, inflammatory conditions, the remineralization of hard tissues, oral wound healing, and tissue regeneration, drawing from both in vitro and in vivo studies which indicate that the potential of Moringa extracts in supporting dentin-pulp regeneration after caries or trauma is worthy of more careful consideration.

Silage preparation and sustainable livestock production of natural woody plant

As the global population increases and the economy grows rapidly, the demand for livestock products such as meat, egg and milk continue to increase. The shortage of feed in livestock production is a worldwide problem restricting the development of the animal industry. Natural woody plants are widely distributed and have a huge biomass yield. The fresh leaves and branches of some woody plants are rich in nutrients such as proteins, amino acids, vitamins and minerals and can be used to produce storage feed such as silage for livestock. Therefore, the development and utilization of natural woody plants for clean fermented feed is important for the sustainable production of livestock product. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the research progress, current status and development prospects of forageable natural woody plant feed resources. The nutritional composition and uses of natural woody plants, the main factors affecting the fermentation of woody plant silage and the interaction mechanism between microbial co-occurrence network and secondary metabolite are reviewed. Various preparation technologies for clean fermentation of woody plant silage were summarized comprehensively, which provided a sustainable production mode for improving the production efficiency of livestock and producing high-quality livestock product. Therefore, woody plants play an increasingly important role as a potential natural feed resource in alleviating feed shortage and promoting sustainable development of livestock product.

Polymeric Patches Based on Chitosan/Green Clay Composites and Hazelnut Shell Extract as Bio-Sustainable Medication for Wounds

Hazelnut shells, the main waste deriving from hazelnut processing, represent an interesting source of active molecules useful in pharmaceutics, although they have not yet been examined in depth. A hydrosoluble extract (hazelnut shell extract, HSE) was prepared by the maceration method using a hydroalcoholic solution and used as the active ingredient of patches (prepared by casting method) consisting of composites of highly deacetylated chitosan and green clay. In vitro studies showed that the formulation containing HSE is able to stimulate keratinocyte growth, which is useful for healing purposes, and to inhibit the growth of S. aureus (Log CFU/mL 0.95 vs. 8.85 of the control after 48 h); this bacterium is often responsible for wound infections and is difficult to treat by conventional antibiotics due to its antibiotic resistance. The produced patches showed suitable tensile properties that are necessary to withstand mechanical stress during both the removal from the packaging and application. The obtained results suggest that the developed patch could be a suitable product to treat wounds.

Innovative Materials with Possible Applications in the Wound Dressings Field: Alginate-Based Films with Moringa oleifera Extract

For a long time, biopolymers have proven their effectiveness in the development of materials with various applications, lately those intended for the biomedical and pharmaceutical industries, due to their high biocompatibility and non-toxic, non-allergenic, and non-immunogenic nature. The ability to incorporate various active substances in this matrix has yielded materials with characteristics that are far superior to those of classic, conventional ones. The beneficial effects of consuming Moringa oleifera have promoted the use of this plant, from Ayurvedic to classical medicine. The addition of such compounds in the materials intended for the treatment of surface wounds may represent the future of the development of innovative dressings. This study followed the development of materials based on sodium alginate and moringa powder or essential oil for use as dressings, pads, or sheets. Thus, three materials with the addition of 10-30% moringa powder and three materials with the addition of 10-30% essential oil were obtained. The data were compared with those of the control sample, with sodium alginate and plasticizer. The microtopography indicated that the materials have a homogeneous matrix that allows them to incorporate and maintain natural compounds with prolonged release. For example, the sample with 30% moringa essential oil kept its initial shape and did not disintegrate, although the swelling ratio value reached 4800% after 20 min. After testing the mechanical properties, the same sample had the best tensile strength (TS = 0.248 MPa) and elongation (31.41%), which is important for the flexibility of the dressing. The same sample exhibited a very high antioxidant capacity (60.78% inhibition). The materials obtained with moringa powder added presented good values of physical and mechanical properties, which supports their use as wound dressings for short-term application and the release of embedded compounds. According to the obtained results, all the biopolymeric materials with moringa added can be used as dressings for different wound types.

Microparticles in the Development and Improvement of Pharmaceutical Formulations: An Analysis of In Vitro and In Vivo Studies

Microparticulate systems such as microparticles, microspheres, microcapsules or any particle in a micrometer scale (usually of 1–1000 µm) are widely used as drug delivery systems, because they offer higher therapeutic and diagnostic performance compared to conventional drug delivery forms. These systems can be manufactured with many raw materials, especially polymers, most of which have been effective in improving the physicochemical properties and biological activities of active compounds. This review will focus on the in vivo and in vitro application in the last decade (2012 to 2022) of different active pharmaceutical ingredients microencapsulated in polymeric or lipid matrices, the main formulation factors (excipients and techniques) and mostly their biological activities, with the aim of introducing and discussing the potential applicability of microparticulate systems in the pharmaceutical field.

Bioactive Polymeric Nanoparticles of Moringa oleifera Induced Phyto-Photothermal Sensitization for the Enhanced Therapy of Retinoblastoma

Treatment of retinoblastoma is limited due to its delayed detection and inaccesbility of drugs to reach the retina crossing the blood-retinal barrier. With the advancements in nanotechnology, photothermal therapy (PTT) employing plasmonic nanomaterials and/or NIR dyes have emerged as an affordable alternative owing to the spatial control that is offered by the modality leading to localized and enhanced therapeutic efficacy with minimal invasiveness. However, the modality is limited in its clinical application owing to the increased heat shock resistance of the tumor cells in response to the heat that is generated via PTT. Hence, in this study, we explore the role of novel biomolecular fraction of Moringa oleifera (DFM) encapsulated within a polymeric nanosystem, for its anti-heat shock protein (HSP) activity. The MO extract was co-encapsulated with NIR sensitizing dye, IR820 into a biodegradable polycaprolactone (PCL) nano-delivery system (PMIR NPs). The photothermal transduction efficacy of PMIR NPs was validated in vitro against retinoblastoma cell lines. The inherent fluorescence of DFM was utilized to evaluate the cellular internalization of the PMIR NPs using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. The overall oxidative protein damage and downregulation of HSP70 expression upon treatment with PMIR NPs and NIR laser irradiation was evaluated using densiometric protein analysis and Western blotting. Overall, the PMIR NPs exhibited excellent anti-cancer activity when combined with PTT with downregulated HSP70 expression against retinoblastoma cells.

Moringa oleifera: An Updated Comprehensive Review of Its Pharmacological Activities, Ethnomedicinal, Phytopharmaceutical Formulation, Clinical, Phytochemical, and Toxicological Aspects

Moringa oleifera, also known as the "tree of life" or "miracle tree," is classified as an important herbal plant due to its immense medicinal and non-medicinal benefits. Traditionally, the plant is used to cure wounds, pain, ulcers, liver disease, heart disease, cancer, and inflammation. This review aims to compile an analysis of worldwide research, pharmacological activities, phytochemical, toxicological, and ethnomedicinal updates of Moringa oleifera and also provide insight into its commercial and phytopharmaceutical applications with a motive to help further research. The scientific information on this plant was obtained from various sites and search engines such as Scopus, Pub Med, Science Direct, BMC, Google Scholar, and other scientific databases. Articles available in the English language have only been referred for review. The pharmacological studies confirm the hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, and anti-inflammatory potential of the extracts from the various plant parts. It was found that bioactive constituents are present in every part of the plant. So far, more than one hundred compounds from different parts of Moringa oleifera have been characterized, including alkaloids, flavonoids, anthraquinones, vitamins, glycosides, and terpenes. In addition, novel isolates such as muramoside A&B and niazimin A&B have been identified in the plant and have potent antioxidant, anticancer, antihypertensive, hepatoprotective, and nutritional effects. The traditional and nontraditional use of Moringa, its pharmacological effects and their phytopharmaceutical formulations, clinical studies, toxicity profile, and various other uses are recognized in the present review. However, several traditional uses have yet to be scientifically explored. Therefore, further studies are proposed to explore the mechanistic approach of the plant to identify and isolate active or synergistic compounds behind its therapeutic potential.

Starch-based sustainable hydrogel loaded with Crocus sativus petals extract: A new product for wound care

The aim of the present study was to valorize Crocus sativus petals, the main waste deriving from saffron stigma harvesting, as source of bioactive molecules to be used in health field. Three different dry extracts were prepared by eco-friendly methods (maceration and ultrasound bath assisted maceration) using saffron petals as raw material and ethanol 70 % either ethanol 96 % as extraction solvents. A preliminary evaluation of the antioxidant activity (measured by ABTS*⁺, DPPH* and FRAP) highlighted that the most suitable extraction solvent is represented by ethanol 70 %. By in vitro studies on keratinocytes emerged that the extract obtained by maceration (rich in gallic and chlorogenic acids) stimulates their growth in a safe concentration range (0.02-0.4 mg/mL) suggesting a potential application in skin diseases such as superficial wounds. Due to the low manageability, the extract was firstly supported on corn starch powder particles and then formulated as starch gel. The obtained formulation showed both suitable rheological properties and spreadability necessary for an easy and pain free application on damaged skin. Moreover, in vitro microbiological studies of starch gel demonstrated antimicrobial activity toward S. epidermidis and self-preserving capacity.

Crocus sativus L. Petal Extract Inhibits Inflammation and Osteoclastogenesis in RAW 264.7 Cell Model

The dried stigmas of Crocus sativus L. (Iridaceae) are traditionally processed to produce saffron, a spice widely used as a food coloring and flavoring agent, which is important in the pharmaceutical and textile dye-producing industries. The labor-intensive by-hand harvesting and the use of only a small amount of each flower cause saffron to be the most expensive spice in the world. Crocus sp. petals are by-products of saffron production and represent an interesting raw material for the preparation of extracts intended for health protection in the perspective of a circular economy. In the present study, ethanolic extract from Crocus sativus L. petals (Crocus sativus L. petal extract, CsPE) was tested on macrophages by in vitro models of inflammation and osteoclastogenesis. The extract was found to be endowed with anti-inflammatory activity, significantly reducing the nitric oxide production and IL-6 release by RAW 264.7 murine cells. Moreover, CsPE demonstrated an anti-osteoclastogenic effect, as revealed by a complete inhibition of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive osteoclast formation and a decreased expression of key osteoclast-related genes. This study, which focuses on the macrophage as the target cell of the bioactive extract from Crocus sativus L. petals, suggests that the petal by-product of saffron processing can usefully be part of a circular economy network aimed at producing an extract that potentially prevents bone disruption.

Wound Dressing: Combination of Acacia Gum/PVP/Cyclic Dextrin in Bioadhesive Patches Loaded with Grape Seed Extract

The success of wound treatment is conditioned by the combination of both suitable active ingredients and formulation. Grape seed extract (GSE), a waste by-product obtained by grape processing, is a natural source rich in many phenolic compounds responsible for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities and for this reason useful to be used in a wound care product. Bioadhesive polymeric patches have been realized by combining acacia gum (AG) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). Prototypes were prepared by considering different AG/PVP ratios and the most suitable in terms of mechanical and bioadhesion properties resulted in the 9.5/1.0 ratio. This patch was loaded with GSE combined with cyclic dextrin (CD) to obtain the molecular dispersion of the active ingredient in the dried formulation. The loaded patch resulted mechanically resistant and able to release GSE by a sustained mechanism reaching concentrations able to stimulate keratinocytes’ growth, to exert both antibacterial and antioxidant activities.

Combination of Two Kinds of Medicated Microparticles Based on Hyaluronic Acid or Chitosan for a Wound Healing Spray Patch

Olive leaves extract (OLE) has been extensively studied as antioxidant and antibiotic and these characteristics make it particularly interesting for use on wounds. For this reason, the aim of this study was to introduce OLE in microparticles (MP) of hyaluronic acid (MPHA-OLE) or chitosan (MPCs-OLE) to obtain a spray patch for the treatment of wounds in anatomical areas that are difficult to protect with traditional patches. The MP were characterized for particle size and ability to protect OLE from degradation, to absorb water from wound exudate, to control OLE release from MP. The MPHA and MPCs medicated or not and mixtures of the two types in different proportions were studied in vitro on fibroblasts by the scratch wound healing assay. The MP size was always less than 5 µm, and therefore, suitable for a spray patch. The MPCs-OLE could slow down the release of OLE therefore only about 60% of the polyphenols contained in it were released after 4 h. Both MPHA and MPCs could accelerate wound healing. A 50% MPHA-OLE-50% MPCs-OLE blend was the most suitable for accelerating wound healing. The MPHA-OLE-MPCs-OLE blends studied in this work were shown to have the characteristics suitable for a spray patch, thus giving a second life to the waste products of olive growers.

Preparation, Characterization, and Biological Evaluation of Transparent Thin Carboxymethyl-Chitosan/Oxidized Carboxymethyl Cellulose Films as New Wound Dressings

Full thickness burns in which the damage penetrates deep into the skin layers and reaches underneath the muscle, compel the need for more effective cure. Herein, cross-linked carboxymethyl-chitosan (CM-chitosan) films, prepared by Schiff base association with oxidized carboxymethyl cellulose (OCMC), are investigated regarding the wound healing capacity on full thickness burn injuries in vivo. Transparent thin CM-chitosan/OCMC films are obtained with tensile strength reaching 6.11 MPa, elongation at break above 27%, and water absorption more than 800%, which operates in favor of absorbing excess exudate and monitoring the wound status. Furthermore, the nonadherent CM-chitosan/OCMC films, with satisfactory biodegradability, cell, and tissue compatibility, are readily used to the wound sites and easily removed following therapy on scalded tissue so as to alleviate the suffering from burn. The films efficiently promote epithelial and dermal regeneration compared to the control, achieving 75.9% and 94.4% wound closure, respectively, after 14 and 27 days. More importantly, CM-chitosan/OCMC films accelerate wound healing with natural mechanisms which include controlling inflammatory response, reducing apoptosis, promoting fibroblast cell proliferation, and collagen formation. In conclusion, the CM-chitosan/OCMC films elevate the repair ratio of burn injuries and have great potential for facilitating the healing process on full-thickness exuding wounds.

Hazelnut Shells as Source of Active Ingredients: Extracts Preparation and Characterization

Hazelnut shells represent a waste material (about 42% of the total biomass) deriving from hazelnut harvest. These are mainly used as a heating source; however, they represent an interesting source of polyphenols useful in health field. The impact on phenolic profile and concentrations of hazelnut shell extracts obtained by three extraction methods (maceration, ultrasonic bath, and high-power ultrasonic), as well as temperature, extraction time, and preventive maceration, was studied. The prepared extracts were characterized in terms of chemical composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Eighteen different phenolic compounds were identified and quantified by chemical analysis and gallic acid was the most abundant in all the extracts analyzed. Other relevant compounds were chlorogenic acid, protocatechuic acid and catechin. Preventive maceration had a positive effect on the extraction of different types of compounds regardless of the method performed. Application of the high-power ultrasonic method had different effects, either positive or negative, depending on the type of compound and extraction time. All the prepared extracts showed antioxidant activity especially those prepared by maceration, and many of them were able to inhibit the growth of both B. subtilis and B. cereus.

Effects of Malic Acid and Sucrose on the Fermentation Parameters, CNCPS Nitrogen Fractions, and Bacterial Community of Moringa oleifera Leaves Silage

The present study investigated the effects of malic acid, sucrose, and their mixture on the fermentation parameters, Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) nitrogen fractions, and bacterial community of Moringa oleifera leaves (MOL) silages. The trial was divided into four treatments and labeled as CON (control group) and MLA, SUC, and MIX (respectively denoting the addition of 1% malic acid, 1% sucrose, and 1% malic acid + 1% sucrose to the fresh weight basis). The silage packages were opened on the 2nd, 5th, 10th, 20th, and 40th days of ensiling for subsequent determination. Malic acid and sucrose increased the lactic acid content (p < 0.05) and pH value, and the acetic acid contents of MLA and MIX were lower than those in CON (p < 0.05). Compared with sucrose, malic acid had a better capacity to preserve nutrients and inhibit proteolysis, and thus exerted better effects on the CNCPS nitrogen fractions. The results of 16S rRNA showed that the dominant phyla were Firmicutes and Proteobacteria and that the dominant genera were Lactobacillus and Weissella. With the application of silage additives and the processing of fermentation, there was a remarkable change in the composition and function of the bacterial community. The variation of the fermentation parameters and CNCPS nitrogen fractions in the MOL silages caused by malic acid and sucrose might be attributed to the dynamic and dramatic changes of the bacterial community.

Emulgel Loaded with Flaxseed Extracts as New Therapeutic Approach in Wound Treatment

Dry (D.E.) and liquid (L.E.) extracts were prepared from flaxseeds and their application in health field was evaluated. The chemical analysis showed that D.E. is rich in the lignan secoisolariciresinol diglucoside and L.E. in unsaturated triglycerides containing linolenic acid. Mainly, D.E. showed reducing (15.73 μmol Fe²⁺/g) and radical scavenging capacities (5.25 mg TE/g) and ability to down-regulate the expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines NO (IC₅₀ = 0.136 ± 0.009 mg/mL) and IL-6 (IC₅₀ = 0.308 ± 0.103 mg/mL), suggesting its use in wound treatment. D.E. and L.E. were active against S. pyogenes and D.E. also against S. aureus. The two extracts were combined in a novel O/W emulgel in which the water phase was viscosized using a low molecular weight and highly deacetylated chitosan (1% wt./v). The presence of this polymer in the emulgel decreased the MIC values of the extracts. In fact, MIC shifted from 0.59 mg/mL to 0.052 mg/mL for D.E. and from 0.22 mg/mL to 0.036 mg/mL for L.E., concentrations safe both for keratinocytes and macrophages. Moreover, the emulgel demonstrated to inhibit S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, S. pyogenes, E. coli, and K. pneumoniae growth (inhibition halos 24–36 mm), strains often responsible for diabetic foot ulcer infection.

Therapeutic potential of Moringa oleifera seed polysaccharide embedded silver nanoparticles in wound healing

Wound healing is a complicated process that influences patient's life quality. Plant-based polysaccharide has recently gained interest in its use in wound dressing materials because of its biological compatibility, natural abundance, and ideal physiochemical properties. The present study reveals the potential of polysaccharide isolated from Moringa oleifera seed (MOS-PS) and its nanocomposite with silver (MOS-PS-AgNPs) as alternative materials for wound dressing. First, MOS-PS was isolated and structurally characterized by TLC, HPLC, FTIR, NMR, and GPC analyses. A green and simple method was used to synthesize AgNPs using MOS-PS as a stabilizing and reducing agent. The size, morphology, and structure of the MOS-PS-AgNPs were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and zeta potential analysis. The results showed that the MOS-PS-AgNPs were spherically shaped, having no cytotoxicity toward mouse fibroblasts cells and promoting their in-vitro migration. Moreover, the MOS-PS-AgNPs displayed strong anti-microbial activity against wound infectious pathogenic bacteria. Finally, the MOS-PS-AgNPs were used for dressing animal wounds and its preliminary mechanism was studied by RT-PCR and histological analysis. The results showed that the MOS-PS-AgNPs can promote wound contraction and internal tissue growth well. Overall, our results indicated that the MOS-PS-AgNPs might be an excellent candidate for use as an optimal wound dressing material.

Development and Characterization of Xanthan Gum and Alginate Based Bioadhesive Film for Pycnogenol Topical Use in Wound Treatment

Pycnogenol (PYC) is a concentrate of phenolic compounds derived from French maritime pine; its biological activity as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial suggests its use in the treatment of open wounds. A bioadhesive film, loaded with PYC, was prepared by casting, starting with a combination of two biopolymer acqueous solutions: xanthan gum (1% wt/wt) and sodium alginate (1.5% wt/wt), in a 2.5/7.5 (wt/wt) ratio. In both solutions, glycerol (10% wt/wt) was added as plasticizing agent. The film resulted in an adhesive capable to absorb a simulated wound fluid (~ 65% wt/wt within 1 h), therefore suitable for exuding wounds. The mechanical characterization showed that the film is deformable (elastic modulus E = 3.070 ± 0.044 MPa), suggesting adaptability to any type of surface and resistance to mechanical solicitations. PYC is released within 24 h by a sustained mechanism, achieving a maximum concentration of ~0.2 mg/mL, that is safe for keratinocytes, as shown by cytotoxicity studies. A concentration of 0.015 mg/mL is reached in the first 5 min after application, at which point PYC stimulates keratinocyte growth. These preliminary results suggest the use of PYC in formulations designed for topical use.