The Effects of (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-Galate on Wound Closure and Infections in Mice
In this study, we investigated the effects of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate on
wound healing both in vitro and in vivo with and without infection. EGCG has antimicrobial
properties and could be useful as a topical agent to prevent and/or treat wound infections.
Expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) was also reduced. In vivo experiments
measured closure/contraction of full-thickness dorsal wounds that were
treated with 0, 0.3, 3.0, and 30.0 mg/ml of EGCG every 24 hours. Macrophages,
neutrophils and myofibroblasts were assessed at 48 and 168 hours.
By 168 hours there was a significant reduction in presence with the 30 mg/ml dose vs.
0.3 and 3.0 mg/ml. The percentage of wound closure at one week in EGCG treated wounds
was 87.87% (0.03 mg), 85.23% (0.3 mg)
and 40.06% (30 mg/ml) compared to controls.
Reduced quantities of α-SMA myofibroblasts were observed in the 3 mg
EGCG treatment group compared to controls at 168 hours.
We previously demonstrated that EGCG has antimicrobial properties (MIC50 ~0.3 mg/ml).
This
data suggests that EGCG could potentially be applied to the wound surface as an antimicrobial
without negatively influencing healing. To this end we applied EGCG (10 mg/ml) to a model
of an infected traumatic wound.
Recent work with EGCG, and related catechins, has shown it has powerful
anti-oxidant properties1 and displays anti-tumor,2 anti-inflammatory, antikeloid scar
formation,5 alters apoptosis, anti-metastatic, and anti-atherogenic11 activity both in vitro
and in vivo settings.
EGCG also has been demonstrated to inhibit growth of microbes such as Acinetobacter baumannii,
12 Bordetella pertussis,13 Helicobacter pylori,14,15 Porphyromonas gingivalis,
16,17 Staphylococcus aureus and Eschericia coli18 and Salmonella typhimurium.
Surg Res Open J. 2014; 1(1): 1-9. doi: 10.17140/SROJ-1-101
