Arabinogalactans from Mimosa tenuiflora (Willd.) Poiret bark as active principles for wound-healing properties: specific enhancement of dermal fibroblast activity and minor influence on HaCaT keratinocytes.
BACKGROUND
Aqueous extracts from the bark of Mimosa tenuiflora (Willd.) Poirett (Mimosaceae), tradionally known as "tepescohuite", are widely used for wound-healing and burns in middle and South America. No pharmacological data are available on the influence of aqueous extracts and high molecular constituents on human skin cells.


METHODS
Tests were performed on human primary dermal fibroblasts and human HaCaT keratinocytes by quantification of mitochondrial activity (MTT, WST-1), proliferation (BrdU incorporation), necrosis (LDH) and gene expression profiling (RT-PCR).


RESULTS
Water extract WE (10 and 100 microg/mL) expressed loss of cell viability and proliferation in dermal fibroblasts. Ethanol-precipitated compounds EPC (10 microg/mL), isolated from WE significantly stimulated mitochondrial activity and proliferation of dermal fibroblasts. Minor stimulation of human kerationocytes by EPC was found only at 100 microg/mL level. The differentiation behavior of keratinocytes was not influenced by EPC. EPC had no influence on the expression of specific proliferation and differentiation related genes so that the mode of action remains unclear. By bioactivity-guided fractionation two arabinogalactan-enriched fractions (F2, F3) were isolated from EPC and identified as the stimulating principles of EPC against fibroblasts.


CONCLUSIONS
A significant in vitro stimulation of dermal fibroblast activity and proliferation by arabinogalactans from Mimosa tenuiflora provides a rational for the traditional use of the bark material for wound healing.
Zippel
Janina
J
University of Münster, Institute for Pharmaceutical Biology and Phytochemistry IPBP, Hittorfstrasse 56, D-48149 Münster, Germany.
Deters
Alexandra
A
Hensel
Andreas
A
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000032:analysis; D002460:Cell Line; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects*; D005685:Galactans / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D031298:Mimosa / Q000737:chemistry*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D024301:Plant Bark / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012867:Skin / Q000166:cytology*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
D000596:Amino Acids; D002241:Carbohydrates; D005685:Galactans; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011134:Polysaccharides; C005653:arabinogalactan