Silk sericin ameliorates wound healing and its clinical efficacy in burn wounds

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of silk sericin, a protein from silkworm cocoon, on scratch wound healing in vitro. For applicable result in clinical use, we also study the efficacy of sericin added to a standard antimicrobial cream, silver zinc sulfadiazine, for open wound care in the treatment of second-degree burn wounds. In vitro scratch assays show that sericin at concentration 100 μg/mL can promote the migration of fibroblast L929 cells similar to epidermal growth factor (positive control) at 100 μg/mL. After 1 day of treatment, the length of scratch in wounds treated with sericin was significantly shorter than the length of negative control wounds (culture medium without sericin). For clinical study, a total of 29 patients with 65 burn wounds which covered no less than 15 % of total body surface area were randomly assigned to either control (wounds treated with silver zinc sulfadiazine cream) or treatment (wounds treated with silver zinc sulfadiazine with added sericin cream) group in this randomized, double-blind, standard-controlled study. The results showed that the average time to reach 70 % re-epithelialization of the burned surface and complete healing in the treatment group was significantly shorter, approximately 5-7 days, than in the control group. Regarding time for complete healing, control wounds took approximately 29.28 ± 9.27 days, while wounds treated with silver zinc sulfadiazine with added sericin cream took approximately 22.42 ± 6.33 days, (p = 0.001). No infection or severe reaction was found in any wounds. This is the first clinical study to show that silk sericin is safe and beneficial for burn wound treatment when it is added to silver sulfadiazine cream.

Sericin ameliorated dysmorphic mitochondria in high-cholesterol diet/streptozotocin rat by antioxidative property

“…20,[22][23][24][25][26] The other points of view, sericin has also been a candidate for development of functional food or adjunctive therapeutic agent against other non-communicable diseases such as hypercholesterolemia and diabetes mellitus (DM). 13,14,[27][28][29] Several mechanisms not only antioxidative property of sericin, 12 but its catabolic effect to fat metabolism is also discussed.…”

Sponge-Like Dressings Based on the Association of Chitosan and Sericin for the Treatment of Chronic Skin Ulcers. II. Loading of the Hemoderivative Platelet Lysate

“…This demonstrates the occurrence of a synergic effect between PL and the silk protein. Some authors proved that Ser promotes the migration of fibroblasts similarly to epidermal GF and activates collagen production 20,21 ; these effects are joined to those of GFs and plasma proteins of PL.…”

Burn wound healing properties of asiaticoside and madecassoside

“…Due to the potential healing properties of medicinal plants, alkaloids such as flavonoids, essential oils, fatty acids, tannins, saponins, terpenoids and phenolic compounds, may be useful in improving the healing process. Furthermore, medicinal plants are renowned for their availability, cost effectiveness and an association with fewer side effects compared with FDA approved drugs (28). Thus, substantial interest exists globally, concerning the identification and isolation of the active components from therapeutic plants which may promote would healing (29,30).…”