Essential oil from rhizomes of Ligusticum chuanxiong induces apoptosis in hypertrophic scar fibroblasts.
BACKGROUND
Hypertrophic scarring following surgical procedures, trauma and especially burns can lead to severe functional and cosmetic impairment, causing a decrease in the quality of life. Although a wide choice of treatments is offered, few therapeutic methods are universally accepted because of their side effects.


OBJECTIVE
The effects of the essential oil (EO) extracted from rhizomes of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. (Umbelliferae) in human hypertrophic scar fibroblasts (HSFs) are investigated for the first time.


METHODS
Chemical composition of hydrodistilled EO obtained from rhizomes of Ligusticum chuanxiong was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The effects of EO on cell viability, apoptosis rate, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and caspase-3 in HSFs were investigated.


RESULTS
The experimental results showed that EO significantly inhibited cell viability, elicited morphological changes and induced apoptosis in HSFs. EO also evidently increased the loss of MMP, the levels of LDH release and cellular ROS production, and the activity of caspase-3.


CONCLUSIONS
EO-induced apoptosis was at least partially carried out via destruction of the intracellular antioxidant system and elicitation of excessive ROS accumulation in HSFs, which impaired mitochondrial membranes and elicited caspase-3 activation. EO could be an effective cure for human hypertrophic scar.
Wu
Jian-Guo
JG
Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, PR China.
Ma
Li
L
Zhang
Shu-Ya
SY
Zhu
Zhan-Zhou
ZZ
Zhang
Hong
H
Qin
Lu-Ping
LP
Wei
Yan-Jie
YJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017439:Cicatrix, Hypertrophic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D030004:Ligusticum; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D027343:Rhizome; D055815:Young Adult
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D053148:Caspase 3; C101574:chuangxiong extract