An extract of the root of Lithospermun erythrorhison accelerates wound healing

Metabolic disease such as diabetes, which is caused by stress or imbalanced diet, has been increasing. A diabetic tend to suffer from a delay or difficulty of wound healing. The extract of SHIKON (SK), that is the root of Lithospermun erythrorhison, has been reported to have an effect on healing for normal wound, but has never studies for intractable wound so far. Therefore we examined the effect of SK extract on wound healing with healing impaired mouse model. Full-thickness round wounds were created on the backs of db/db mice and applied SK, and we observed neovascularization and collagen synthesis, distribution of apoptotic cells, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)- positive cells in granulation tissue. After two weeks, a number of capillary vessel and collagen synthesis were increased in SK-treated wounds. Infiltration of VEGF-positive neutrophils was also seen in the wound, besides apoptotic fibroblasts and endothelial cells were appeared in the granulation tissue. After three weeks, the wound closed completely with SK-treated but not in control. These results suggest that SK enhanced neovascularization by VEGF and this kind of apoptosis process makes the scar smooth. In this study, it is obvious that SK also accelerates healing of intractable wound.