Jojoba Oil Hastens Dexamethasone Induced Delayed Wound Healing: A Preclinical Study

Abstract

Background: Wound healing is a complex, multifactorial process in which poor healing in chronic wounds has emerged as the most significant complication in recent years. Jojoba oil (JO) has been traditionally used for its medicinal properties, especially for skin disorders. Studies suggested its potential wound-healing activity in-vitro. However, the underlying mechanism by which JO promotes the rejuvenating process is unclear in-vivo. The present study was aimed at evaluating the wound-healing activity of JO in both normal and delayed healing. Methods: Excision wounds were inflicted by surgical method on the anesthetized rats. Animal wounds were explored for their healing activity by photography in-vivo. Expression of ERK, collagen, VEGF and PDGF was investigated using western blot. Results: Topical administration of JO (0.5 ml/wound, twice a day) showed significant wound healing activity. All groups demonstrated a significant increase (p<0.001) in wound contraction percentage except dexa+JO versus control. 100% wound closure was seen on day 12 in JO treated group when compared to the control which showed complete closure on day 15. We found that JO-treated animals showed an increase in the expression of collagen, VEGF, PDGF and ERK whereas dexamethasone displayed no expression. In the histopathology and Masson trichrome staining, the control group showed granulation tissue with no scab and epithelium, dexamethasone group exhibited the presence of less granulation tissue when compared with the control and treatment groups. The JO group depicted mature granulation tissue with more epithelial growth and the dexa+JO group, showed granulation tissue with little epithelial growth when compared, with the JO group. Masson trichrome staining showed matured collagen in the JO group when compared with the diseased group. Conclusion: These findings suggest that JO activates ERK signaling, collagen formation, VEGF, PDGF expression which shows the plausible potential of JO in accelerating the healing process, more efficiently in delayed wound healing.