Polyphenols found in extra-virgin olive oil enhance the healing abilities of fibroblasts, opening up possibilities for new wound healing applications. A new study found that certain polyphenols in extra virgin olive oil enhance the healing effects of fibroblasts, cells essential for the formation of connective tissue.
Fibroblasts play a crucial role in repairing skin damage caused by injuries or cuts. The research published in Nutrients paves the way for the future use of polyphenol-based applications to heal injured skin.
Fibroblasts are the most important skin cells, involved in skin regeneration and essential for repairing damaged skin. They release compounds that bind all the components of the skin together; they are the network that holds everything together, and that is why their effect is so relevant.
The scientists focused on how the behavior of fibroblasts is influenced by the application of hydroxytitrosol, tyrosol, and oleocanthal, the most abundant polyphenols in virgin olive oil. These three phenols were chosen because previous studies have demonstrated their interesting behavior when applied to various tissue cells, such as osteoblasts and bone cells.
The research showed that these phenolic compounds, when applied, would stimulate the growth of fibroblasts. This is a very relevant result, since when the skin is injured, stimulating the development of a larger number of fibroblasts would lead to better healing.
However, this wasn’t the only result they observed, as polyphenols also influenced the behavior of fibroblasts under in vitro conditions. Thus, when exposed to phenolic compounds, fibroblasts migrated, meaning they moved to close the space caused by the wound, promoting their healing effect.
Furthermore, the growth of fibroblasts observed by the researchers in the laboratory setting showed no cellular alteration. In this sense, when using therapies to stimulate cell growth, a possible negative outcome is uneven growth of the cells themselves or cellular mutations that could be dangerous.
For this reason, scientists have developed an experiment to demonstrate how safe cell growth stimulated by polyphenols is. In fact, one of the experiments focused on this and showed that the cells did not exhibit any DNA aneuploidy, meaning they showed no signs of mutating.
The scientists emphasized that their research is part of a growing number of studies focusing on the effects of polyphenols on human tissues and cellular profiles. Previous research found that other phenols in extra virgin olive oil also stimulated the proliferation and migration of fibroblasts.
Other studies have also pointed to the role of phenols in regulating the wound healing process and their possible protective effects against age-related changes in fibroblasts. However, the search for the use of extra virgin olive oil as an effective wound-healing agent requires further research. Examples of future solutions could be hydrogels or creams.
However, the direct application of phenols to fibroblasts in a laboratory setting differs from real-life applications, such as a wound on human skin, as the direct application of phenols to fibroblasts is challenging, as using extra virgin olive oil on the skin would only reach the skin’s surface. A means is needed to transport the phenols to where they are needed.
In this sense, the next step would be to design a mechanism in the laboratory that would allow us to effectively introduce phenols. Once this is achieved, we will be closer to developing real-life applications.We’ve come one step closer to the safety of our extra virgin olive oil, and it’s important to define and identify them. Report possible side effects, even if they aren’t expected.
The development of a remedy that offers doctors, nurses, and patients new options in the treatment of skin wounds could also be achieved sustainably, since polyphenol-rich wastewater generated during olive processing is usually disposed of after olive oil production. Therefore, it would be interesting to isolate the compounds we need from a raw material that isn’t currently of interest to the market.
At Aceite del Campo, we always recommend first discussing any health issues with your doctor.
Important Note: aceitedelcampo.com promotes the consumption of extra virgin olive oil for its culinary qualities and health benefits. However, no medication or current treatment should be replaced without the guidance of a healthcare professional.
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