Effect of a Silk Sericin and Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) Blends on Inflammatory Response and Wound Healing

Abstract

The natural product silk sericin has excellent biological properties, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, and antioxidant activity, and it also facilitates cell proliferation, collagen type 1 production, and wound healing. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is a natural organic sulfur compound known to relieve pain and inflammation. In this study, we formulated sericin and MSM blends in various ratios, and investigated their effects on the inflammatory response and subsequent healing of a wound in vitro using macrophages and fibroblasts. The experimental findings, derived from cell viability analyses and nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB)/cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)/inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) pathway assays, demonstrated that the anti-inflammatory activity of MSM was more effective when it was blended with sericin. In contrast, MSM alone did not enhance wound healing but rather delayed it at higher concentrations. We confirmed that the blend of sericin and MSM exhibited a synergistic effect on suppressing inflammatory responses and promoting subsequent wound healing when the two materials were optimally blended.