Bio-functionalized MWCNT/hyperbranched polyurethane bionanocomposite for bone regeneration.

The proper fabrication of biomaterials, particularly for purposes like bone regeneration, is of the utmost importance for the clinical success of materials that fulfill the design criteria at bio-interfacial milieu. Building on this aspect, a polyurethane nanocomposite (PNC) was fabricated by the combination of rapeseed protein functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and vegetable-oil-based hyperbranched polyurethane. Biofunctionalized MWCNTs showed incredible biocompatibility compared to pristine MWCNTs as ascertained via in vitro and in vivo studies. PNC showed enhanced MG63 cell differentiation ability compared to the control and carboxyl functionalized MWCNT-based nanocomposite, as postulated by alkaline phosphatase activity together with better cellular adhesion, spreading and proliferation. Consequently, a critical-sized fracture gap (6 mm) bridged by the sticky PNC scaffold illustrated rapid bone neoformation within 30-45 d, with 90-93% of the defect area filling up. Histopathological studies demonstrated the reorganization of the normal tibial architecture and biodegradation of the implant. The subsequent toxicological study through cytokine expression, biochemical analysis and hematological studies suggested non-immunogenic and non-toxic effects of PNCs and their degraded/leached products. Their excellent bio-physiological features with high load-bearing ability (49-55.5 Mpa), ductility (675-790%) and biodegradability promote them as the best alternative biomaterials for bone regeneration in a comprehensive manner.

Euphorbia hirta accelerates fibroblast proliferation and Smad-mediated collagen production in rat excision wound.

BACKGROUND: Euphorbia hirta L. (Euphorbiaceae) is a traditional herbal medicine used for treatment of various diseases. OBJECTIVE: E. hirta was investigated for in vitro/in vivo wound healing activity using human dermal fibroblast cell line and Wistar rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol and water successive extracts of E. hirta leaves were evaluated for antioxidant, antimicrobial and fibroblast proliferation activities. Among different extracts, the promising methanol extract was screened for wound healing activity in Wistar rats, using gentamicin sulfate (0.01% w/w) as a reference. Wound contraction, hydroxyproline content and the protein expression of COL3A1, bFGF, Smad-2,-3,-4 and -7 were measured. RESULTS: The E. hirta methanol extract showed a potent antimicrobial (MIC 0.250 mg/ml against Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, both), antioxidant activities (IC50 = 10.57 µg/ml, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl; 850.23 µg/ml, superoxide-anion radical scavenging activity and 23.63 mg gallic acid equivalent per gram extract) with significant fibroblast proliferating activity (112% at 12.5 µg/ml) as compared to other extracts. In vivo study also supported the wound healing potential of methanol extract, as evidenced by faster wound contraction, higher hydroxyproline (4.240 mg/100 mg tissue) and improved histopathology of granulation tissue as compared to control groups and gentamicin sulfate-treated ones. Western blot also revealed a significantly altered expression of Smad-mediated proteins resulting in collagen production. CONCLUSION: The study suggested that E. hirta accelerates the wound healing by augmenting the fibroblast proliferation and Smad-mediated collagen production in wound tissue.

Topical application of Cleome viscosa increases the expression of basic fibroblast growth factor and type III collagen in rat cutaneous wound.

Cleome viscosa L. (Cleomaceae) is an important traditional medicine of the Indian-Ayurvedic and Chinese-medicine system documented for rheumatic arthritis, hypertension, malaria, neurasthenia, and wound healing. The plant is also known as Asian spider flower and is distributed throughout the greater part of India. The present study explored the wound healing property of C. viscosa methanol extract (CvME) and its related mechanism using Wistar rat cutaneous excision wound model. Wound contraction rate, hydroxyproline quantification, and histopathological examination of wound granulation tissue were performed. The healing potential was comparatively assessed with a reference gentamicin sulfate hydrogel (0.01% w/w). Western blot for COL3A1, bFGF, and Smad-2, Smad-3, Smad-4, and Smad-7 was performed with 7-day postoperative granulation tissue. Results revealed that the topical application of CvME (2.5% w/w) significantly accelerated the wound contraction rate (95.14%, 24 postoperative days), increased the hydroxyproline content (3.947 mg/100 mg tissue), and improved histopathology of wound tissue as compared to control groups. Western blot analysis revealed that CvME significantly upregulated the expression of COL3A1 and bFGF and increased the Smad-mediated collagen production in granulation tissue. These findings suggest that C. viscosa promoted the wound repair process by attenuating the Smad-mediated collagen production in wound granulation tissue.

Ixora coccinea Enhances Cutaneous Wound Healing by Upregulating the Expression of Collagen and Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor.

Background. Ixora coccinea L. (Rubiaceae) has been documented for traditional use in hypertension, menstrual irregularities, sprain, chronic ulcer, and skin diseases. In the present study, I. coccinea was subjected to in vitro and in vivo wound healing investigation. Methods. Petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol, and water sequential I. coccinea leaves extracts were evaluated for in vitro antioxidant, antimicrobial, and fibroblast proliferation activities. The promising I. coccinea methanol extract (IxME) was screened for in vivo wound healing activity in Wistar rat using circular excision model. Wound contraction measurement, hydroxyproline quantification, and western blot for collagen type III (COL3A1), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and Smad-2, -3, -4, and -7 was performed with 7-day postoperative wound granulation tissue. Gentamicin sulfate (0.01% w/w) hydrogel was used as reference standard. Results. IxME showed the potent antimicrobial, antioxidant activities, with significant fibroblast proliferation inducing activity, as compared to all other extracts. In vivo study confirmed the wound healing accelerating potential of IxME, as evidenced by faster wound contraction, higher hydroxyproline content, and improved histopathology of granulation tissue. Western blot analysis revealed that the topical application of I. coccinea methanol extract stimulates the fibroblast growth factor and Smad mediated collagen production in wound tissue.

Comparative hematoxicity of fusirium mycotoxin in experimental sprague-dawley rats.

Mycotoxins are fungal toxin and contaminated to human through food-stuffs. Hematological abnormality, mainly thrombocytopenia and leukopenia are induced after consumption of mycotoxin. Experiments were conducted to evaluate the hematotoxicity of trichothecenes mycotoxins in Sprague-Dawley rats. Hematological parameters viz. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, erythrocyte count (RBC), white blood cell count (WBC), lymphocytes, monocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, red blood cell distribution width, mean platelet volume, plateletcrit and platelet distribution width were determined at 0, 6, 12 and 24 h after injection of 0.5 ml of T-2, Deoxynivalenol (DON), nivalenol, zearalenone, neosolaniol, ochratoxin-B mycotoxin equivalent to 1 × 10(-3) µg/µl to Sprague-Dawley rats. Experiments showed that trichothecenes toxin produces severe hematological alternation. The reductions of RBC and WBC were observed in all Fusarium mycotoxins treated group. T-2 toxin group shows severe toxicity as compared to other mycotoxin treated group. DON is the least hematotoxicity and T-2 the most.

Bio-based hyperbranched polyurethane/Fe3O4 nanocomposites: smart antibacterial biomaterials for biomedical devices and implants.

The fabrication of a smart magnetically controllable bio-based polymeric nanocomposite (NC) has immense potential in the biomedical domain. In this context, magneto-thermoresponsive sunflower oil modified hyperbranched polyurethane (HBPU)/Fe3O4 NCs with different wt.% of magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4) were prepared by an in situ polymerization technique. Fourier-transform infrared, x-ray diffraction, vibrating sample magnetometer, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, thermal analysis and differential scanning calorimetric were used to analyze various physico-chemical structural attributes of the prepared NC. The results showed good interfacial interactions between HBPU and well-dispersed superparamagnetic Fe3O4, with an average diameter of 7.65 nm. The incorporation of Fe3O4 in HBPU significantly improved the thermo-mechanical properties along with the shape-memory behavior, antibacterial activity, biocompatibility as well as biodegradability in comparison to the pristine system. The cytocompatibility of the degraded products of the NC was also verified by in vitro hemolytic activity and MTT assay. In addition, the in vivo biocompatibility and non-immunological behavior, as tested in Wistar rats after subcutaneous implantation, show promising signs for the NC to be used as antibacterial biomaterial for biomedical device and implant applications.

Eleutherine indica L. accelerates in vivo cutaneous wound healing by stimulating Smad-mediated collagen production.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Eleutherine indica L. has been used for healing of wound, painful and irregular menstruation, dysentery and lesions, and topically used as antiseptic and antimicrobial agent in folk medicine. In the present study, methanolic extracts of Eleutherine indica was subjected to scientific investigation for in-vivo cutaneous wound healing in wistar rat. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In-vivo wound healing activity of Eleutherine indica was evaluated by using circular excision experimental models, followed by histopathological and western blot analysis. The healing potential was comparatively assessed with a reference gentamicin sulfate hydrogel (0.01% w/w). Wound contraction measurement, hydroxyproline estimation and western blot for COL3A1, bFGF, Smad-2, -3, -4, and -7 were performed. RESULTS: The methanolic extract of Eleutherine indica showed accelerated wound healing activity as evidenced by fast wound contraction rate and higher hydroxyproline content of granulation tissue. Western blot revealed the Smad-mediated collagen production promoting property of Eleutherine indica methanolic extract. Histopathological examinations also supported the experimental findings. CONCLUSION: The study revealed that Eleutherine indica promotes wound healing by augmenting Smad-mediated collagen production in wound granulation tissue.

Vitex negundo inhibits cyclooxygenase-2 inflammatory cytokine-mediated inflammation on carrageenan-induced rat hind paw edema.

BACKGROUND: Vitex negundo L. (Verbenaceae) is a hardy plant widely distributed in the Indian subcontinent and used for treatment of a wide spectrum of health disorders in traditional and folk medicine, some of which have been experimentally validated. In present study, we aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of V. negundo in carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats, and to investigate the probable mechanism of anti-inflammatory action. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Paw edema was produced by injecting 1% solution of carrageenan, and the paw volume was measured before and after carrageenan injection up to 5 h. V. negundo leaf oil was extracted using a Clevenger apparatus and administered by a trans-dermal route to Wistar rats and the percentage of inhibition of inflammation was observed using a Plethysmometer by comparing a compound aerosol-based formulation with 1 mg diclofinac diethylamine BP and 7 mg methyl salicylate IP/kg body weight served as a standard drug whereas paraffin oil served as the placebo group. After withdrawing of blood, serum was separated and cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2 inhibitory activities were measured by the enzyme immuno assay (EIA) method by using a COX inhibitor screening assay kit. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: V. negundo leaf oil significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the carrageenan-induced paw edema as compared to the placebo group (paraffin oil) and 1 mg diclofinac diethylamine BP and 7 mg methyl salicylate IP showed the maximum inhibition of paw edema as compared to the V. negundo leaf oil treated group and the control group. Also in the present study V. negundo leaf oil showed significantly (P < 0.05) inhibits COX-1 pathways rather than COX-2 pathways as compared to the V. negundo leaf oil treated group. CONCLUSION: It is suggested that the V. negundo leaf oil is a potent anti-inflammatory agent and acts via inhibition of COX-2 without much interfering COX-1 pathways.