Wound healing consists of a complex series of convoluted processes which involve renewal of the skin after injury. ROS (Reactive Oxidative Species) are involved in all phases of wound healing. A balance between oxidative and antioxidative forces is necessary for a favorable healing outcome. Astaxanthin, a member of the xanthophyll group, is considered a powerful antioxidant. In the attached study, the researchers investigated the effect of topical astaxanthin on cutaneous wound healing. The results indicate that astaxanthin is an effective compound for accelerating wound healing.
The astaxanthin extract applied topically on the wounds showed significant acceleration of wound closure which was clearly visible at day 3 of the experiment. On day 9 after wounding, the astaxanthin-treated wounds had already lost their eschars and appeared fully epithelialized, whereas the wounds of control mice showed only partial epithelialization and still carried scabs. Complete wound closure in the control group was observed only by day 11.
Click to read the study: Effect of astaxanthin on cutaneous wound healing.
