Investqgatqon of the effects of dqfferent plant extracts and essentqal oql emulsqons on the mqgratqon of human fqbroblast cells qn an in vqtro wound healqng model

Introduction and Objectives: Wound healing is a dynamic process consisting of three main phases: inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. Due to the limitations of current wound treatment methods, interest in alternative therapeutic approaches has increased. Herbal extracts and essential oils are known to have potential benefits in the wound healing process. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Matricaria recutita L. flower, Hypericum perforatum L. aerial part, Calendula officinalis L. flower and Plantago major L. leaf extracts and essential oils of Laurus nobilis L. leaf, Salvia officinalis L. leaf, Origanum onites L. aerial part and Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don aerial part on in vitro wound healing model, the scratch test, on human dermal fibroblast cells. Material and Method: In this study, one control group and eight experimental groups (four extracts and four essential oil emulsions) were established. MTT cytotoxicity assays were performed at eight different concentrations (100, 80, 60, 40, 20, 10, and 5 µg/mL) for each substance, and cell viability was evaluated. Following the determination of appropriate concentrations, scratch assays were conducted on human dermal fibroblast cells, and wound lengths were measured using microscopic imaging at 0, 24, and 48 hours. Data were analyzed with SPSS software; after normality assessments, ANOVA and post-hoc tests (LSD, Tukey) were applied. Results: According to the results of the scratch assay conducted to evaluate in vitro wound healing, wound closure was significantly faster in the EM2 and EX2 groups compared to the control group at the 24th hour (p<0.05). In contrast, wound closure was significantly delayed in the EX3 and EX4 groups (p<0.05). At the 48th hour, only the EX4 group continued to show significantly slower wound healing. While EM2 was effective at the 24th hour, this effect diminished by the 48th hour. Although wound closure appeared clinically favorable in the EM3, EM4, and EX2 groups, these differences were not statistically significant. EM1 and EX1 exhibited neutral effects similar to the control group at both time points. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that certain herbal extracts and essential oils can support wound healing in human fibroblast cells in an in vitro setting. These findings support the potential use of herbal products as adjunctive agents in wound care. However, further advanced in vivo and clinical studies are required to establish clinical relevance.