Plant Macromolecules as Biomaterials for Wound Healing

Abstract

Natural biomolecules are increasingly relevant for biomedical applications and tissue engineering for being able to produce an effect on chemical signals, organization of cells, and restitution of extracellular matrix in lesioned tissues. In this chapter, we will address the potential of plant macromolecules, in particular, carbohydrates and proteins such as hemicelluloses and lectins. While lectins are mostly carbohydrate-binding proteins, which can interact with cell surfaces to initiate anti-inflammatory pathways, as well as immunomodulatory functions, hemicelluloses are remarkably known by their ability to form viscous solutions even at low concentrations, which makes them an excellent candidate as vehicle to carry different sorts of biomolecules. Taking into account the complexity of the whole healing process, as an overlapping and coordinated cascade of events, most of the properties presented here by those materials may be of interest to the wound-care market.

Dermal wound healing contribution of aqueous extracts ofAcalypha indica, Calotropis gigantea, Bacopa monnieriand their combination

“…Research in this domain has furthered the relevance of phytotherapy and phytochemicals’ contribution on chemical signaling, organization of cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) modification in lesioned skin. 6…”

“…Research in this domain has furthered the relevance of phytotherapy and phytochemicals' contribution on chemical signaling, organization of cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) modification in lesioned skin. 6 The multifactorial nature of the wound healing program has given a pointer to why single agent treatment or use of individual plants for wound treatments is inadequate to produce the desired healing result. Use of medicinal plant combinations in the form of polyherbal formulation /combination appears to have a lot of promising potentials in wound treatment and management by decreasing closure time and/or increasing the quality of healed wounds over individual plant treatment.…”

“Molecular Docking Analysis Of Alpha-Terpineol Against Matrix Metalloproteinases”

“…Wound healing involves four events: Hemostasis, Inflammation, Proliferation, and Tissue remodeling [7,8]. Several enzymes are present at the wound site, which aid in the healing process [9]. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), also known as matrixins, are enzymes found in the extracellular matrix (ECM) [10,11].…”