Effect of polysaccharides from Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) cladodes on the healing of dermal wounds in the rat

Trombetta, D.; Puglia, C.; Perri, D.; Licata, A.; Pergolizzi, S.; Lauriano, E.R.; De Pasquale, A.; Saija, A.; Bonina, F.P.

doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2005.06.006

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Volume 13, Issue 5 , Pages 352-358, 9 May 2006

Effect of polysaccharides from Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) cladodes on the healing of dermal wounds in the rat

D. Trombetta
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +39906766530; fax: +39903533142.
C. Puglia
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Catania, Italy
D. Perri
- Department Farmaco-Biologico, School of Pharmacy, University of Messina, Italy
A. Licata
- Department Biologia Animale & Ecologia Marina, University of Messina, Contrada Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy
S. Pergolizzi
- Department Biologia Animale & Ecologia Marina, University of Messina, Contrada Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy
E.R. Lauriano
- Department Biologia Animale & Ecologia Marina, University of Messina, Contrada Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy
A. De Pasquale
- Department Farmaco-Biologico, School of Pharmacy, University of Messina, Italy
A. Saija
- Department Farmaco-Biologico, School of Pharmacy, University of Messina, Italy
F.P. Bonina
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Catania, Italy

Received 27 November 2003; accepted 6 June 2005.

Abstract

In traditional medicine extracts of polysaccharide-containing plants are widely employed for the treatment of skin and epithelium wounds and of mucous membrane irritation. The extracts of Opuntia ficus-indica cladodes are used in folk medicine for their antiulcer and wound-healing activities. The present study describes the wound-healing potential of two lyophilized polysaccharide extracts obtained from O. ficus-indica (L.) cladodes applied on large full-thickness wounds in the rat. When topically applied for 6 days, polysaccharides with a molecular weight (MW)>10⁴Da from O. ficus-indica cladodes induce a beneficial effect on cutaneous repair in this experimental model; in particular the topical application of O. ficus-indica extracts on skin lesions accelerates the reepithelization and remodelling phases, also by affecting cell–matrix interactions and by modulating laminin deposition. Furthermore, the wound-healing effect is more marked for polysaccharides with a MW ranging 10⁴–10⁶Da than for those with MW>10⁶Da, leading us to suppose that the fine structure of these polysaccharides and thus their particular hygroscopic, rheologic and viscoelastic properties may be essential for the wound-healing promoter activity observed.

Keywords: Opuntia ficus-indica, Wound healing, Polysaccharides