Aloe vera oral administration accelerates acute radiation-delayed wound healing by stimulating transforming growth factor-β and fibroblast growth factor production

• Published in: The American journal of surgery 2011-06, Vol.201 (6), p.809-818
• Main Authors: Atiba, Ayman, M.V.Sc, Nishimura, Mayumi, Ph.D, Kakinuma, Shizuko, Ph.D, Hiraoka, Takeshi, Ph.D, Goryo, Masanobu, Ph.D, Shimada, Yoshiya, Ph.D, Ueno, Hiroshi, Ph.D, Uzuka, Yuji, Ph.D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Administration, Oral; Aloe; Aloe vera; Angiogenesis; Animals; Apoptosis; Biological and medical sciences; Burns; Cell cycle; Collagen; Contraction; Data processing; Diabetes; Disease Models, Animal; Extracellular matrix; FGF; Fibroblast growth factor 2; Fibroblast Growth Factors - biosynthesis; Fibroblast Growth Factors - drug effects; Fibroblasts; Follow-Up Studies; General aspects; Growth factors; Immunohistochemistry; Infiltration; Inflammation; Irradiation; Medical sciences; Oral administration; Phytotherapy - methods; Plant Preparations - administration & dosage; Polyethylene; Polymerase chain reaction; Radiation; Radiation Injuries - drug therapy; Radiation Injuries - pathology; Radiation therapy; Radiation wound; Rats; Rodents; Skin; Skin - pathology; Skin - radiation effects; Surgery; TGF-β; Tissues; Transforming Growth Factor beta - biosynthesis; Transforming Growth Factor beta - drug effects; Transforming growth factor-b; Treatment Outcome; Wound healing; Wound Healing - drug effects; Wound Healing - radiation effects
• ISSN: 0002-9610; 1879-1883
• DOI: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2010.06.017

Abstract Background Delayed wound healing is a significant clinical problem in patients who have had previous irradiation. This study investigated the effectiveness of Aloe vera (Av) on acute radiation-delayed wound healing. Methods The effect of Av was studied in radiation-exposed rats compared with radiation-only and control rats. Skin wounds were excised on the back of rats after 3 days of local radiation. Wound size was measured on days 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 after wounding. Wound tissues were examined histologically and the expressions of transforming growth factor β-1 (TGF-β-1) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) were examined by immunohistochemistry and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Results Wound contraction was accelerated significantly by Av on days 6 and 12 after wounding. Furthermore, the inflammatory cell infiltration, fibroblast proliferation, collagen deposition, angiogenesis, and the expression levels of TGF-β-1 and bFGF were significantly higher in the radiation plus Av group compared with the radiation-only group. Conclusions These data showed the potential application of Av to improve the acute radiation-delayed wound healing by increasing TGF-β-1 and bFGF production.