Planta Med 2007; 73(3): 251-256
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-967119
Original Paper
Pharmacology
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Picroliv Accelerates Epithelialization and Angiogenesis in Rat Wounds

Anoop K. Singh1 , 4 , Anuj Sharma1 , 2 , 4 , James Warren1 , Subhashree Madhavan1 , Keith Steele1 , N. V. RajeshKumar1 , Rajesh L. Thangapazham1 , 2 , Shekhar C. Sharma3 , Dinesh K. Kulshreshtha3 , Jaya Gaddipati1 , Radha K. Maheshwari1
  • 1Center for Combat Casualty and Life Sustainment Research, Department of Pathology, Uniformed Services University of the Life Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
  • 2Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences, Pilani, Rajasthan, India
  • 3Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India
  • 4These authors contributed equally
Further Information

Publication History

Received: February 13, 2006

Accepted: January 8, 2007

Publication Date:
22 February 2007 (online)

Abstract

Tissue repair and wound healing are complex processes that involve inflammation, granulation and tissue remodeling. Angiogenesis plays a central role in wound healing. Earlier, we have shown that picroliv, a natural product obtained from the roots of Picrorhiza kurrooa, up-regulates the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in human umbilical vein endothelial cells and of insulin-like growth factor in rats during hypoxia. In the present study, we have investigated the effect of picroliv in an ex vivo rat aorta ring model of angiogenesis. Picroliv enhanced the sprouting and migration of endothelial cells. We also investigated punch wound healing on days 4 and 7 after wounding by histology, morphometry and collagenization. The data showed improved re-epithelialization, neovascularization and migration of various cells such as endothelial, dermal myofibroblasts and fibroblasts into the wound bed after picroliv treatment. Immunohistochemical localization showed increased VEGF and alpha smooth muscle actin staining consistent with an increased number of microvessels in granulation tissue. These findings suggest that picroliv could be developed as a therapeutic angiogenic agent for the restoration of the blood supply in diseases involving inadequate blood supply such as limb ischemia, ischemic myocardium and wound healing.

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Dr. Radha K. Maheshwari

Center for Combat Casualty and Life Sustainment Research

Department of Pathology

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

4301 Jones Bridge Road

Bethesda

MD 20814

USA

Phone: +1-301-295-3394

Fax: +1-301-295-1640

Email: rmaheshwari@usuhs.mil

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