Wound healing functions

Anserine and carnosine consisting of P-alanine and L-histidine (Figure 22.1) are strong antioxidants against hypochlorite radical (CIO ), and they are antioxidants that reduce lipid oxidation, which affects flavor, aroma, texture, color, and nutritional composition [2,3]. Also, anserine and carnosine have immunoresponse modulation, blood fat reduction, and enhanced wound-healing functions in vivo [4-6]. Figure 22.2 shows an example of the physiological functionality of anserine and carnosine [6]. Anserine and carnosine remarkably reduced an oxidative stress in normal human volunteers in combination with vitamin C and ferulic acid. 

Pharmaceutical Applications. Sucrose has a long history in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals. It imparts body to symps and medicinal hquids and masks unpleasant tastes. Sucrose also functions as a diluent to control dmg concentrations in medicines, as an ingredient binder for tablets, and to impart chewiness to the latter. Sustained-release medications and protective tablet glazes are prepared using sucrose (41). Sucrose-based sugar pastes are used to promote wound healing (58). 

Insufficient zinc results in slowed growth, delayed wound healing, poor appetite, mental lethargy, and sexual immaturity and it interferes with the immune response. The main function of zinc in metaboHsm is enzymatic and there is evidence of other physiologic roles, eg, in stabilization of membrane stmcture (57). 

Pacifici R, Di Carlo S, Bacosi A, Zuccaro P (1993) Macrophage functions in drugs of abuse-treated mice. Int J Immunopharmacol 15(6) 711-716 Park JE, Barbul A (2004) Understanding the role of immune regulation in wound healing. Am J Surg 187(5A) 11S-16S... 

An additional important component of therapy is nutrition. Intraabdominal infections often involve the GI tract directly or disrupt its function (paralytic ileus). The return of GI motility may take days, weeks, and occasionally, months. In the interim, enteral or parenteral nutrition as indicated facilitates improved immune function and wound healing to ensure recovery. 

Most cytokines act upon, or are produced by, leukocytes (white blood cells), which constitute the immune and inflammatory systems (Box 8.1). They thus play a central role in regulating both immune and inflammatory function and in related processes such as haematopoiesis (the production of blood cells from haematopoietic stem cells in the adult bone marrow), as well as in wound healing. Indeed, several immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory drugs are now known to induce their biological effects by regulating production of several cytokines. 

Enteral or parenteral nutrition facilitates improved immune function and wound healing to ensure recovery. 

Assessing the outcome of EN includes monitoring objective measures of body composition, protein and energy balance, and subjective outcome for physiologic muscle function and wound healing. 

Consumption of fish oil in excess can generate immunotoxic effects in laboratory animals. Rats fed a 17% fish oil diet had reduced wound-healing responses when compared to com oil [59], In a mouse model of bacterial resistance to S. typhimurium, lower survival rates were reported for those animals that ingested a 20% fish oil diet over 15 days [59], Similar fish oil-induced effects in guinea pigs were noted in a study of experimental tuberculosis leading the authors to conclude that this treatment resulted in decreased resistance to infectious disease. The consumption of fish oil has also been reported to result in alterations of hemostatic parameters such as platelet production and function. However, there is no indication that at doses normally consumed by humans, immunotoxicity will occur. 

It is possible, in view of this evolutionary development, that the original function of Lp(a) in an era when cholesterol availability was low was to make cholesterol more easily available to cells and so promote wound-healing (G27, L10). 

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