Phenolic Compounds of Chromolaena odorata Protect Cultured Skin Cells from Oxidative Damage: Implication for Cutaneous Wound Healing

• Published in: Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin 2001, Vol.24(12), pp.1373-1379
• Main Authors: PHAN, Toan-Thang, WANG, Lingzhi, SEE, Patrick, GRAYER, Renee Jacqueline, CHAN, Sui-Yung, LEE, Seng Teik
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: antioxidant; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Asteraceae - chemistry; Biological and medical sciences; Cells, Cultured; Chromolaena odorata extract; Fibroblasts - drug effects; Fibroblasts - metabolism; Fibroblasts - pathology; General pharmacology; Humans; Hydrogen Peroxide - toxicity; Hydroxybenzoates - chemistry; Hydroxybenzoates - isolation & purification; Hydroxybenzoates - pharmacology; Keratinocytes - drug effects; Keratinocytes - metabolism; Keratinocytes - pathology; Male; Medical sciences; oxidative damage; Oxidative Stress - drug effects; Oxidative Stress - physiology; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Phytotherapy - methods; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - isolation & purification; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Leaves - chemistry; Skin - drug effects; Skin - metabolism; Skin - pathology; wound healing; Wound Healing - drug effects; Wound Healing - physiology; Xanthine Oxidase - toxicity
• ISSN: 0918-6158; 1347-5215
• DOI: 10.1248/bpb.24.1373

Extracts from the leaves of Chromolaena odorata have been shown to be beneficial for treatment of wounds. The crude ethanol extract of the plant had been demonstrated to be a powerful antioxidant to protect fibroblasts and keratinocytes in vitro. In this study, the most active compounds were fractionated and identified from the crude extract using liquid chromatography coupled with UV spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The antioxidant effects of purified fractions on cultured fibroblasts and keratinocytes were investigated using colorimetric and lactate hydrogenase release assay. The results showed that the phenolic acids present (protocatechuic, p-hydroxybenzoic, p-coumaric, ferulic and vanillic acids) and complex mixtures of lipophilic flavonoid aglycones (flavanones, flavonols, flavones and chalcones) were major and powerful antioxidants to protect cultured skin cells against oxidative damage. In conclusion, the extract from C. odorata contains a mixture of powerful antioxidant compounds that may be one of potential mechanism contributing to enhanced wound healing.