Roberta Palladino

Plant extracts and microbial‐derived molecules, particularly oligo‐ and polysaccharides, are known to promote tissue repair. Triticum vulgare extract (TVE), derived from germinated whole plants and utilized in medical devices, is rich in bioactive molecules comprised of oligo‐ and polysaccharides with diverse biological properties beneficial for wound repair. This study investigates the biochemical mechanisms underlying TVE’s proregenerative activity in vitro effects, comparing it with hyaluronic acid (HA), a gold standard in wound healing. Preliminary results showed that TVE has scavenging properties/antioxidant activity also at lower concentrations with respect to HA that has long been recognized for these properties (Galvez‐Martin et al.). In vitro assays evaluated cell proliferation, migration, extracellular matrix biomarkers, and responses to stress in 2D and 3D models. TVE significantly enhanced keratinocyte migration, reaching approximately 50% wound closure in less than 20 h, whereas the untreated control required about 30 h to achieve the same level of closure. Moreover, TVE performed better than HA at low concentrations, while both treatments improved HDF proliferation and ECM biomarker expression. More specifically, COL1 expression was upregulated by 2.3‐fold relative to the control, showing an effect comparable to that induced by HA (2.8‐fold). Conversely, ELS expression exhibited a 2.0‐fold increase in response to TVE and a 2.6‐fold increase following HA treatment compared with the control. In addition, the extract significantly increased HBD‐2 expression by 2‐fold relative to the control, a novel finding that may be relevant, given the role of this antimicrobial peptide in innate immunity, inflammation regulation, and wound repair. Under stressful conditions, including dehydration and exposure to reactive oxygen species, TVE showed protective effects comparable to HA in both HDF and HaCaT cells. 3D skin models, including those treated with LPS, confirmed the results of 2D assays, further validating TVE’s biological properties. Overall, these studies demonstrate that this extract exerts biological effects comparable to pharmaceutical HA in several in vitro skin models. These findings further support the potential application of TVE in wound management and skin regenerative approaches.

In recent years, nanocarriers have been widely used as an effective solution for oral administration of pharmaceuticals. However, there is still an urgent need to speed up their translation to clinical practice. Cost-effective and industrially scalable methodologies are still needed. Herein, the production of vitamin C-loaded liposomes for nutraceutical purposes has been investigated and optimized by adopting a High-Pressure Homogenizer. Initially, the impact of process parameters on particles size, distributions, and morphology was explored. The findings document that the pressure and cycle manipulation allow for control over liposome size and polydispersity, reaching a maximum encapsulation efficiency exceeding 80%. This significantly improves the storage stability of vitamin C, as demonstrated by monitoring its antioxidant activity. Furthermore, the in vitro simulation of gastrointestinal digestion shows that liposomes could protect the active substance from damage and control its release in the gastrointestinal fluid. Thus, the whole nanodelivery system can contribute to enhancing vitamin C bioavailability. In conclusion, the results indicate that this innovative approach to producing vitamin C liposomes holds promise for clinical translation and industrial scale-up. Indeed, by utilizing food-grade materials and straightforward equipment, it is possible to produce stable and functional liposomes suitable for health products.

Chronic wound is characterized by slow healing time, persistence, and abnormal healing progress. Therefore, serious complications can lead at worst to the tissue removal. In this scenario, there is an urgent need for an ideal dressing capable of high absorbency, moisture retention and antimicrobial properties. Herein we investigate the technical properties of a novel advanced non-woven triple layer gauze imbibed with a cream containing Rigenase, an aqueous extract of Triticum vulgare used for the treatment of skin injuries. To assess the applicability of this system we analyzed the dressing properties by wettability, dehydration, absorbency, Water Vapor Transmission Rate (WVTR), lateral diffusion and microbiological tests. The dressing showed an exudate absorption up to 50%. It created a most environment allowing a proper gaseous exchange as attested by the WVTR and a controlled dehydration rate. The results candidate the new dressing as an ideal medical device for the treatment of the chronic wound repairing process. It acts as a mechanical barrier providing a good management of the bacterial load and proper absorption of abundant wound exudate. Finally, its vertical transmission minimizes horizontal diffusion and side effects on perilesional skin as maceration and bacterial infection.

Wound contaminants are the main cause of healing delay and infection in both chronic and acute wounds; for this reason, the microbial infection management in wound healing is one of the most important components for an effective standard of care. The wound contaminants are most likely to originate from the environment and from the surrounding skin lesion, and to date, the most frequent bacteria isolated are Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. In order to counteract and control these contaminants, the standard care includes topical antiseptic agents. The most commonly used include iodine-releasing agents (e.g., povidone-iodine), hydrogen peroxide, and polyhexanide. This study aims to investigate the in vitro antibacterial activity of a novel topical spray (Fitostimoline (R) Plus spray) based on 0.1% polyhexanide and Rigenase (R) against S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, K pneumoniae, and the combination of S. aureus and K pneumoniae. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of Fitostimoline (R) Plus spray was evaluated by the agar disk diffusion assay, quantitative suspension test, and quantitative carrier test, demonstrating that Fitostimoline (R) Plus spray is able to kill 99.9% bacteria. These results support the microbiological characterization of Fitostimoline (R) Plus spray confirming the antibacterial activity of polyhexanide (PHMB).