Antioxidant activity and in vitro cytotoxicity of Chitosan/Origanum vulgare essential oil sponges

Abstract

Essential oils are complex mixtures of volatile organic substances obtained from medicinal plants, their structural diversity determines their pharmacological bioactivity, including their therapeutic applications. Clinical studies have reported favorable health benefits to patients using medicinal plants for ulcerative skin lesions, reducing the discomfort, pain, and duration of ulcers. Chitosan (CHT) is a polymer with potential as a drug carrier in ulcer disease; also has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, wound-healing, and hemostatic properties, proposed for its use in gels, biofilms, and sponges to cover the ulcerative lesion in the oral mucosa for both drug delivery and physical protection. The objective of this study was to evaluate the biological properties and enzymatic activity of sponges from CHT and Oregano essential oil (OEs). CHT sponges were incubated in OEs eluates (0.01, 0.02 and 0.03 mg/mL). The cell response and enzymatic activity of Super Oxide Dismutase (SOD) and Catalase (CAT) were evaluated in human periodontal ligament fibroblasts (hPLFs). The results showed that CHT-OEs at 0.02 mg/mL and at 0.03 mg/mL significantly increased hPLFs proliferation (p < 0.05). Micrographs demonstrated that the viability and mitochondrial activity of hPLFs were not affected by the eluates from CHT and OEs. SOD activity increased with eluates from OEs and CHT and CAT was significantly increased with CHT+OEs 0.01 mg/mL (p < 0.05). The synergy of CHT with OEs at a concentration of 0.02 mg/mL and 0.03 mg/mL in culture medium increases the proliferative response and stimulates SOD and CAT activity.