Abstract:
Wound healing is one of the most complex processes in the human body consisting of several
different phases namely inflammatory phase, proliferative phase, remodeling phase and contraction
phase (Jurjus et al., 2007). Bioactive ingredients of Cytoflamm Gel (FCG), a complementary wound
healing product are honey (H), oleuropein (OL), witch hazel (WH), xylitol (X), vitamin E (VE), aloe
vera (AV) and farnesol (Fa). The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant properties and
cellular protective effects of FCG. This required the testing of each bioactive ingredient as well as
related to antioxidant effects the interaction that occurs between ingredients.
This was achieved by measuring the antioxidant content and activity (chemical and cellular) of FCG
and each ingredient at the concentrations found in FCG. Two groups of ingredients related to
concentration were identified, major (H, OL and WH) and minor (X, VE, AV, Fa). A strategy was
developed to determine the type of interaction; synergistic, additive or antagonistic that occurs
between ingredients. For all samples, the total polyphenolic and flavonoid content (TPC and TFC)
was determined. Antioxidant activity was measured using the 2,2'-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl
(DPPH), trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) both single electron transfer assays and the
hydrogen atom transfer assay, as well as the oxygen radical antioxidant capacity (ORAC) assay.
Cellular antioxidant protective effect/s was determined in the SC-1 cell line with the
dichlorofluorescein diacetate assay with 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH) as
source of oxidative damage.
The high antioxidant content of FCG was due to major components OL and H contributing 84.08%
and 81.70% respectively to TPC and TFC. VE, OL and H, contributed 44.56%, 32.06% and
11.56% (DPPH assay) and 56.44%, 15.12% and 13.80% (TEAC assay) respectively to antioxidant
activity. With the ORAC assay, H, OL and WH were found to contribute equally 29.97%, 29.91%
and 29.67% with a contribution of only 7.59% by VE. Strong synergism was found between H+OL,
H+WH and OL+WH. In the in vitro SC-1 cell model, FCG, the antioxidant ingredients and mixtures
showed significant cellular protective effects especially in combination with VE. Strong synergism
was found between VE+OL, VE+OL+H and VE+OL+H+WH, indicating that effects may be related
to antioxidant type and concentration although in some instances the effect of WH was antagonistic.
In conclusion, FCG and bioactive ingredients have significant levels of antioxidant activity and
cellular protection against oxidative damage and this is due to synergism between antioxidant
ingredients especially VE, OL and H.
