Hydrogel Dressing Biomaterial Enriched with Vitamin C: Synthesis and Characterization.

Materials engineering has become an important tool in the field of hydrogel dressings used to treat difficult-to-heal wounds. Hydrogels filled with bioactive substances used as a targeted healing system are worthy of attention. Vitamin C has healing and supporting effects in the treatment of many skin problems. The aim of the research was to produce a hydrogel biomaterial enriched with ascorbic acid for use as a dressing for difficult-to-heal wounds. A total of four different dressings were developed, each with different modifications in each layer. The dressing with vitamin C in the third layer was shown to release vitamin C ions more slowly than the dressing with vitamin C in the first layer. The studies conducted have shown that the dressings containing vitamin C have, among other things, a higher compressive strength, are characterised by a lower relative shortening after the application of force and shorten without damage at a lower force than in the case of a dressing without vitamin C. The dressings designed have a very good stability in the temperature range of 18 °C to 60 °C. It was found that the higher the vitamin C content in the dressing, the greater the increase in the specific heat value of the transformations. Therefore, hydrogel dressings containing vitamin C may be candidates for local delivery of vitamin C to the skin and protection of the wound area.

The Potential of Sheep or Camel Milk Constituents to Contribute to Novel Dressings for Diabetic Wounds.

Impaired wound healing is a complication of diabetes, which constitutes a serious problem in clinical practice. Currently, there is a high demand on the market for local treatment options for difficult-to-heal wounds caused by diabetes. The development of dressings that accelerate wound healing has recently been the subject of much research. Sheep and camel milk is gaining importance due to the content of many bioactive substances with health-promoting effects, such as insulin, LF, proline, or CLA. Sheep and camel milk proteins are a promising source of insulin, antidiabetic, and antihypertensive peptides. Numerous studies show that local administration of insulin has a significant impact on the healing of diabetic wounds. Sheep and camel milk, due to the highest LF content among ruminants, reduces autoimmune inflammatory processes and protects against bacterial and viral infections in the wound environment. Sheep's milk has the highest content of proline and CLA, and their addition to a hydrogel dressing can help in the development of an effective dressing material. The production of hydrogel dressings containing sheep and camel milk, which are naturally rich in the bioactive substances presented in this review, may be a promising step in the market of specialized dressings for difficult-to-heal diabetic wounds.

Importance of Bioactive Substances in Sheep's Milk in Human Health.

Sheep's milk is an important source of bioactive substances that have health-promoting functions for the body. The valuable composition of sheep's milk is due to the high content of fatty acids, immunoglobulins, proteins, hormones, vitamins and minerals. Many biopeptides found in milk have antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. The bioactive substances of sheep's milk also show anticancer properties. Sheep's milk, thanks to its content of CLA and orotic acid, prevents the occurrence of type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and cancer. Sheep's milk, as a product rich in bioactive substances, can be used as a medical aid to support the body in the fight against neurological and cancer diseases.

Orotic acid induces apoptotic death in ovarian adult granulosa tumour cells and increases mitochondrial activity in normal ovarian granulosa cells.

Orotic acid (OA) is a natural product that acts as a precursor in the pyrimidine nucleotide biosynthesis pathway. Most studies concerning administration of OA focus on its therapeutic effects; however, its effect on tumours is unclear. We aimed to determine whether treatment with OA influences the viability and apoptosis of normal (HGrC1) and tumour-derived (KGN) human ovarian granulosa cells. The effects of OA (10-250 µM) on viability and apoptosis of both cell lines were determined by using alamarBlue and assessing caspase-3/7 activity, respectively. Annexin V binding and loss of membrane integrity were evaluated in KGN cells. The cell cycle and proliferation of HGrC1 cells were assessed by performing flow cytometric and DNA content analyses, respectively. The influence of OA (10 and 100 µM) on cell cycle- and apoptosis-related gene expression was assessed by RT-qPCR in both cell lines. Mitochondrial activity was analysed by JC-1 staining in HGrC1 cells. In KGN cells, OA reduced viability and increased caspase-3/7 activity, but did not affect mRNA expression of Caspase 3, BAX, and BCL2. OA enhanced proliferation and mitochondrial activity in HGrC1 cells without activating apoptosis. This study demonstrates that the anti-cancer properties of OA in ovarian granulosa tumour cells are not related to changes in apoptosis-associated gene expression, but to increased caspase-3/7 activity. Thus, OA is a promising therapeutic agent for ovarian granulosa tumours. Further, our results suggest that differences in basal expression of cell cycle- and apoptosis-related genes between the two cell lines are responsible for their different responses to OA.