Volume 176, 24 December 2015, Pages 413–423
Abstract
Ethnopharmacological relevance
Grasshopper, belonging to Chorthippus sp.,
is a widespread insect inhabiting Polish territory. According to folk
knowledge and folk tales, the grasshopper abdominal secretion was used
by villagers of Central and South-West Poland as a natural drug
accelerating the wound healing process.
Aim of the study
In
the reported study the hypothesis about beneficial properties of
grasshopper abdominal secretion on hard to heal wounds was verified.
Materials and methods
The
study was carried out with the use of a murine model (mice C57BL/6). In
order to verify the beneficial properties of grasshopper abdominal
secretion, the wounds of 8 mm in diameter were formed on one side of
each tested mouse. The influence of ethanolic extract of insects’
secretion on healing process was evaluated in comparison to ethanolic
solution of allantoin and 30% aqueous solution of ethanol (medium). The
observation was carried out over a 14 day period. Finally the
statistical analysis (ANOVA) was carried out to highlight the
differences in wound healing rate between applied preparations.
Moreover, qualitative composition of grasshoppers’ secretion was studied
with the use of GC/MS technique.
Results
During
the first three days of observation, wounds treated with allantoin were
healed with higher efficiency in comparison to ethanol and insect
secretion preparations. The trend of healing changed from the 4th day of
observation. Wounds treated with grasshoppers’ abdominal secretion were
closuring faster than wounds treated with allantoin or ethanol. In this
part of observation, in the case of allantoin and ethanol application,
the wound healing efficiency was similar. Since the 9th day of
experiment the measurement of wounds size was problematic, due to crust
formation. Finally at the 14th day of the study, wounds were totally
healed.
Morphological study enabled to observe all the
phases of healing. In the 5th and 8th day, the infiltration of
neutrophils and mononuclear cells in dermis was observed, which is
characteristic for inflammatory phase of wound healing. On the 8th day
of experiments, granulation of the tissue was clearly observed in the
tested groups. Reepithelialization phase was observed from the 5th to
14th day, when the wound was totally healed.
The
analytical approach enabled to identify 38 compounds of hydrophobic or
hydrophilic character. Among them, 6 amino acids, 14 organic acids and
their derivatives, one sterol, 4 hydrocarbons, 5 carbohydrates, 2
inorganic acids, 4 alcohols, one diamine and one nucleoside were
identified.
Conclusion
The
obtained results enabled to recognize the composition of grasshopper
abdominal secretion. Some of the identified compounds possess
therapeutic properties described in the literature. The performed in
vivo study proved that application of insects secretion accelerates the
healing process. The obtained results positively verified the scientific
hypothesis based on ethnopharmacological premises about the beneficial
properties of grasshopper abdominal secretion on wound healing process.
Graphical abstract
Keywords
- Chorthippus spp.;
- Grasshopper's abdominal secretion;
- Murine model;
- Wound healing;
- Metabolomics;
- GC–MS
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
