Biography
Biography: Marjan Farshadi
Abstract
Wound healing is a complex process that involves several phases that range from coagulation, inflammation, accumulation of fundamental elements, to proliferation, formation of fibrous tissues and collagen, contraction of wound and formation of granulation tissue and scar.
Rhizome of Curcuma longa L. (common name: turmeric), the main spice of curry, has been used traditionally as a wound healing agent. Researchers around the world have studied the effect of curcumin, the most active ingredient of turmeric, for many years due to its bio-functional properties, especially antioxidant, radical scavenger, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities, which play a critical role in the wound healing process. Furthermore, curcumin stimulated the production of the growth factors involved in the wound healing process, and so curcumin also enhanced the management of wound restoration.
Studies have provided evidence of the ability of curcumin to reduce the body's natural response to cutaneous wounds such as inflammation and oxidation. The recent literature on the wound healing properties of curcumin have also shown that curcumin has the ability of enhancing granulation tissue formation, collagen deposition, tissue remodeling and wound contraction. It has also been reported that curcumin may modulates wound healing in vitro in a biphasic dose response manner i.e. may be stimulatory at low doses and inhibitory at higher doses. Curcumin was reported to facilitate fibrinolysis and cellular migration during wound healing by modifying urokinase plasminogen activator expression.
Studies to date have shown that compared to its oral administration, topical application of curcumin has more noticeable effects on wound healing due to the greater accessibility of the drug at the wound site.
I will be reviewing the effect of curcumin on the wound healing, proposed mechanisms of action, and different curcumin-based cutaneous products and their effect on the wound healing.