Indiana University researchers have found that a chemical compound found in essential oils improves the healing process in mice when applied to a skin wound. This finding could lead to improved treatment of skin injuries in humans.
This active ingredient is called beta-carophyllene, or BCP for short, and is found in a variety of plants, as well as in various herbs and spices such as black pepper, lavender, rosemary and ylang ylang. IU scientists also reported that the treated skin tissue had increased cell growth and was critical for cell migration for wound healing. They also observed increased hair follicle stem cell gene expression in the treated tissue.
Their research was published Dec. 16 in the journal PLOS ONE.
Beta-carophyllene improves the healing process
“This is the first finding at the chemical compound level that shows not only changes in gene expression in the skin but also improved wound healing,” said Sachiko Koyama, one of the authors of the paper. “The way gene expression has changed suggests not only improved wound healing, but also the possibility of less scarring and more complete recovery.
Essential oils are natural, concentrated oils extracted from plants. Their use by humans dates back to ancient Egypt, but fragrance oils have seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years, with many people using them for aromatherapy.
However, the scientists did not find any involvement of the olfactory system, whose sensors are located inside the nose, in wound healing. “It’s an example of essential oils working, but not through our sense of smell.”
“There are several phases in wound healing, starting with the inflammatory phase, followed by the proliferation phase and the remodeling phase,” she said. “I thought perhaps wound healing would be accelerated once inflammation was suppressed, stimulating an earlier transition from the inflammatory stage to the next stage.”
The results of the study are promising
Although the results of the study are promising, Koyama said she would not recommend people treat their injuries with just any essential oils because her research involves a very specific chemical compound with a high purity that dilutes at a specific concentration is.
“It's not very precise to use the essential oils themselves because there are differences,” she said. “When lavender was harvested, where it was harvested and how it was stored all affect its chemical composition.”
Koyama said more research is needed to figure out how beta-carophyllene could be used to develop new treatments for skin wounds in humans.
“There is still a lot to test before we can use beta-carophyllene clinically, but our results are very promising and exciting. In the near future, we may be able to develop a drug using the active ingredients contained in essential oils.”
Source: Sachiko Koyama, Anna Purk, Manpreet Kaur, Helena A. Soini, Milos V. Novotny, Keith Davis, C. Cheng Kao, Hiroaki Matsunami, Anthony Mescher.Beta-caryophyllene enhances wound healing through multiple routes. PLOS ONE
