Preliminary evaluation of haemostatic and wound healing potential of Heliotropium europaeum.

Heliotropium europaeum has been traditionally used to stop bleeding and accelerate scarring. This study provides a scientific evaluation of H. europaeum haemostatic and healing potential. To evaluate the haemostatic effect of H. europaeum, the time of bleeding of fresh wounds induced experimentally in rats was studied. Excision wounds were induced upon four groups; each one contains six rats to estimate the healing properties of wounds. Group 1 was assigned as control (not treated), group 2 was daily treated with H. europaeum leaf powder, group 3 was treated with H. europaeum every 6 days and group 4 was treated with a reference drug, an emulsion containing 10% of Mimosa tenuiflora extract. All the parameters were significantly tested (p < 0.05) with comparison to a group control. The use of H. europaeum significantly shortened the bleeding time. The rats which were daily treated with H. europaeum healed in 12 days. This time period was significantly shorter than the control groups. Wound excision was uniformly induced randomly on the dorsum of rats in 4 groups (tested support and control). The post-healing biopsies were histologically assessed, revealed a better healing quality, and continued complete tissue regeneration, abundant and well-organized network of collagen fibres, and low numbers of inflammatory cells. The experimental data revealed that H. europaeum displayed remarkable haemostatic and wound healing activities.

Pistacia lentiscus fruit oil reduces oxidative stress in human skin explants caused by hydrogen peroxide.

We investigated the efficacy of Pistacia lentiscus fruit oil (PLFO) for protecting human skin from damage due to oxidative stress. PLFO contains natural antioxidants including polyphenols, sterols and tocopherols. We compared the antioxidant potential of PLFO with extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). Explants of healthy adult human skin were grown in culture with either PLFO or EVOO before adding hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). We also used cultured skin explants to investigate the effects of PLFO on lipid oxidation and depletion of endogenous antioxidant defense enzymes including glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) one day after 2 h exposure to H2O2. We found that PLFO scavenged radicals and protected skin against oxidative injury. PLFO exhibited greater antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity than EVOO. Skin explants treated with PLFO inhibited H2O2 induced MDA formation by inhibition of lipid oxidation. In addition, the oil inhibited H2O2 induced depletion of antioxidant defense enzymes including GPx, SOD and CAT. We found that treatment with PLFO repaired skin damage owing to its antioxidant properties.