Researchers at the Loyola Institute of Frontier Energy (LIFE), Loyola College, have come up with a possible solution to accelerate healing of chronic wounds by using fortified components of the placenta.
In contrast to most non-fatal acute wounds that heal naturally or on medical intervention, the chronic wounds of pathological (diabetic, venous, neuropathic and pressure ulcers) and infection (tropical ulcers) origins persist for long periods of time without showing any tendency to heal.
The research initiative led by Dr. S. Vincent, Director, Loyola Institute of Frontier Energy (LIFE), Loyola College, Chennai, and his associate scientist Dr. S. Sivasubramanian, developed fortified placental scaffolds capable of inducing rapid healing of chronic wounds by enhancing the therapeutic value of placental components such as amnion and chorion.
“The derived amnion and chorionic bio-therapeutic materials are free of unwanted as well as antigenic substances and were validated in animal models and hospital trial to be safe, non antigenic, readily absorbable, and user friendly during dressing of wounds,” Dr. Vincent said.
LIFE of Loyola College has filed for patent protection for the invention.
Though different treatment methods have been used in ulcer management, the outcomes of these methods are frequently dissatisfactory.
Several wound healing scaffolds and substances are available for various types of wounds and ulcers — these biomaterials include collagen, amnion, chorion, chitosan and silicon based dressing materials, phytochemicals, and their combinations.
However, these biomaterials are not helpful or effective in curing chronic wounds. Even though amnion finds application in healing acute wounds, chorion does not as it exhibits antigenic properties and can be rejected by wounds or it may induce adverse immune reactions.
In view of utilising the therapeutic potentials of both amnion and chorion, LIFE researchers developed a biochemical process wherein the amnion and chorion are treated with a mixture of hydrolytic enzymes---non collagenolytic proteases, natural matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) inhibitors, chemicals and anti-infectives----to develop wound healing membrane scaffolds. The King Institute of Preventive Medicine and the Central Leather Research Institute were collaborating institutions in the work. The researchers say that most importantly, the developed technology is economically viable and can bring hope not only to address the challenges of chronic wound healing but also improve the quality of life of persons afflicted with such wounds, which are associated with high morbidity and economic burden.
The developed technology is economically viable
