In a new study, researchers have discovered that a chemical compound found in essential oils improves the healing process when it is topically applied to a skin wound.
They also reported that skin tissue treated with the chemical compound, beta-carophyllene — which is found in lavender, rosemary and ylang ylang, as well as various herbs and spices such as black pepper — showed increased cell growth and cell migration critical to wound healing.
They also found more gene expression of hair follicle stem cells in the treated tissue.
These findings could lead to improved treatments for skin injuries in humans.
The research was conducted by a team at Indiana University.
Essential oils are natural, concentrated oils extracted from plants.
Their use by humans dates back to ancient Egypt, but the scented oils have experienced a resurgence in popularity in the U.S. over the past few years, with many people using them for aromatherapy.
Previous research has shown that the compound beta-caryophyllene activates not only olfactory receptors but also cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2), which has an anti-inflammatory impact when it is activated.
In the wound healing process, there are several stages, starting from the inflammatory phase, followed by the cell proliferation stage and the remodeling stage.
The team thought wound healing would be accelerated if inflammation was suppressed, stimulating an earlier switch from the inflammatory stage to the next stage.
But the resulting change in gene expression indicates that improved healing is not merely achieved through activation of the CB2 receptor.
This is the first finding at the chemical-compound level showing improved wound healing in addition to changes in gene expression in the skin.
The way gene expression changed also suggests not only improved wound healing but also the possibility of less scar formation and a more full recovery
Although the study’s results are promising, the team wouldn’t recommend that people start treating their injuries with just any essential oils, as the research applies to a very specific chemical compound with known purity, diluted in a specific concentration.
The lead author of the study is Sachiko Koyama, an associate scientist at the IU School of Medicine.
The study is published in the journal PLOS ONE.
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