Abstract
Balms and resins of Picea abies, Larix decidua, and Pinus nigra are traditionally used to treat wounds. Three chromatographic techniques differing in separation capacity and technical demands were employed to distinguish among these plant exudates. A TLC method was established for fingerprint comparison, providing a quick overview of a large number of samples at low cost. HPLC-DAD (RP18) and UHPSFC-DAD (Torus 2-Picolylamin), hyphenated to ESI-MS, represented orthogonal chromatographic systems with high separation performance. The developed methods allow for the separation and detection of major and minor constituents belonging to different compound classes (phenyl carboxylic acids, lignans, diterpene resin acids). The qualitative compositions of the diterpene resin acids, the main compounds in the exudates, were comparable in all three genera. Differences were detected in the distribution of hydroxylated diterpene resin acids, pinoresinol, and hydroxycinnamic acids. The three tested chromatographic systems with varying demands on lab equipment offer appropriate tools for the quality assessment of Picea abies, Larix decidua, and Pinus nigra. The extracts were furthermore tested at three different concentrations (10 µg/mL, 3 µg/mL, and 1 µg/mL) for boosted re-epithelialization, a crucial step in the wound-healing process, in an in vitro HaCaT keratinocyte-based scratch assay. Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA, 10 µM) and extracts of several medicinal plants well known for their wound-healing properties (birch, marigold, St. John’s wort, manuka honey) were used as positive controls. Picea abies and Pinus nigra showed concentration dependency; significant activity was measured for Larix decidua at 3 µg/mL.
Highlights
Introduction published maps and institutional affilSkin diseases are globally increasing [1]
This study focused on Picea abies, Pinus nigra, and Larix decidua, as they play an important role in Austrian folk medicine [9,10,11] with their balms and brittle resins iations
This study complements and significantly contributes to the currently existing picture in this area of research, as most studies on the phytochemical composition and wound-healing properties of conifer balms have been conducted with Picea abies [13,14,15]
Summary
Introduction published maps and institutional affilSkin diseases are globally increasing [1]. The Global Burden of Disease study, based on health data from over 195 countries, reported skin and subcutaneous diseases to have grown from 493 million patients in 2005 to 605 million in 2015 [2]. Impaired wound healing occurs as co-morbidity of obesity, diabetes, autoimmune disease, bedsore, etc., burdens health care systems worldwide with tremendous costs [3,4,5,6]. Provide scientific evidence for the benefits of traditional remedies [7,8]. In this line, the excretion products of different members of the Pinaceae family have been used for centuries in traditional European medicine to treat wounds. This study focused on Picea abies, Pinus nigra, and Larix decidua, as they play an important role in Austrian folk medicine [9,10,11] with their balms (kneadable, sticky mixtures of resins and essential oil [12]) and brittle resins iations
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