title: Effects of Lipophilic Extract of Viscum album L. and Oleanolic Acid on Migratory Activity of NIH/3T3 Fibroblasts and on HaCat Keratinocytes.
abstract: Viscum album L. lipophilic extract (VALE) contains pharmacologically active pentacyclic triterpenes that are known to exhibit immunomodulatory, antitumor, and wound healing activity. Preliminary clinical observations indicate that VALE was able to influence cutaneous wound healing in vivo. The objective of this study was to investigate wound closure related properties of VALE in vitro. As measured in a wound healing assay, VALE and its predominant triterpene oleanolic acid (OA) significantly and dose dependently promoted the migration of NIH/3T3 fibroblasts in vitro, thereby leading to an enhanced wound closure. Compared to the negative control, maximal stimulation by 26.1% and 26.2%, respectively, was attained with 10 μg/mL VALE and 1 μg/mL OA. Stimulation of proliferation in NIH/3T3 fibroblasts by VALE and OA could be excluded. At higher concentrations both substances affected proliferation and viability of NIH/3T3 fibroblasts and HaCat keratinocytes. In the toxic range of concentrations of VALE and OA, migration of NIH/3T3 fibroblasts was suppressed. The extent of the stimulatory effect on cell migration of VALE quite closely corresponded to the effect expected by the concentrations of OA contained in the crude extract VALE. These data support the casual observation that Viscum album L. lipophilic extract might modulate wound healing related processes in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Society for Cancer Research, Hiscia Institute, 4144 Arlesheim, Switzerland.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kuonen
authors.affiliation: Society for Cancer Research, Hiscia Institute, 4144 Arlesheim, Switzerland.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Weissenstein
authors.affiliation: Society for Cancer Research, Hiscia Institute, 4144 Arlesheim, Switzerland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Urech
authors.affiliation: Society for Cancer Research, Hiscia Institute, 4144 Arlesheim, Switzerland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kunz
authors.affiliation: Institute for Complementary Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hostanska
authors.affiliation: Witten/Herdecke University, 58448 Witten, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Estko
authors.affiliation: Institute of Integrative Medicine, Witten/Herdecke University, 58448 Witten, Germany.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Heusser
authors.affiliation: Society for Cancer Research, Hiscia Institute, 4144 Arlesheim, Switzerland ; Institute of Integrative Medicine, Witten/Herdecke University, 58448 Witten, Germany ; Institute of Complementary Medicine KIKOM, University of Bern, 3010 Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baumgartner