Abstract
BackgroundEstrogen has been reported to accelerate cutaneous wound healing. This research studies the effect of young coconut juice (YCJ), presumably containing estrogen-like substances, on cutaneous wound healing in ovairectomized rats.MethodsFour groups of female rats (6 in each group) were included in this study. These included sham-operated, ovariectomized (ovx), ovx receiving estradiol benzoate (EB) injections intraperitoneally, and ovx receiving YCJ orally. Two equidistant 1-cm full-thickness skin incisional wounds were made two weeks after ovariectomy. The rats were sacrificed at the end of the third and the fourth week of the study, and their serum estradiol (E2) level was measured by chemiluminescent immunoassay. The skin was excised and examined in histological sections stained with H&E, and immunostained using anti-estrogen receptor (ER-α an ER-β) antibodies.ResultsWound healing was accelerated in ovx rats receiving YCJ, as compared to controls. This was associated with significantly higher density of immunostaining for ER-α an ER-β in keratinocytes, fibroblasts, white blood cells, fat cells, sebaceous gland, skeletal muscles, and hair shafts and follicles. This was also associated with thicker epidermis and dermis, but with thinner hypodermis. In addition, the number and size of immunoreactive hair follicles for both ER-α and ER-β were the highest in the ovx+YCJ group, as compared to the ovx+EB group.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that YCJ has estrogen-like characteristics, which in turn seem to have beneficial effects on cutaneous wound healing.
Highlights
Estrogen has been reported to accelerate cutaneous wound healing
We investigated the possible beneficial effects of intake of young coconut juice (YCJ) on accelerating wound healing in ovx rats, a model often used for menopause
Using the diameter of the hair follicles both in the dermis and hypodermis as one of the parameters indicated in wound healing, we have noticed that there was a negative correlation between serum E2 level and hair follicle diameter following both seven and 14 days treatment (Figures 1B, C)
Summary
Estrogen has been reported to accelerate cutaneous wound healing. This research studies the effect of young coconut juice (YCJ), presumably containing estrogen-like substances, on cutaneous wound healing in ovairectomized rats. Estrogen reduction causes deleterious skin changes, resulting in delayed cutaneous healing that is associated with increased inflammation, reduced matrix deposition, and unregulated protease activity [2]. Chronic HRT has been implicated with increased risk of heart disease, breast cancer, and stroke, and, recommendations in relation to situations where the use of HRT would be highly beneficial remain unclear [7]. This indicates that there is a need for evaluation of alternatives to HRT, such as selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs)
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