Planta Med 2015; 81 - SL2B_01
DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1565301

The impact of birch bark triterpenes on keratinocytes derived from diabetic donors

T Wardecki 1, P Werner 1, M Thomas 2, M Templin 3, G Schmidt 4, J Brandner 5, I Merfort 1
  • 1Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Biology and Biotechnology, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
  • 2Dr. Margarete Fischer-Bosch Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, 70376 Stuttgart, Germany
  • 3Institute of Natural and Medical Sciences at the University of Tübingen, 72770 Reutlingen, Germany
  • 4Institute for Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
  • 5Clinic for Dermatology and Venereology, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany

Diabetes mellitus is known to cause major health problems and affects a high number of people. One of these problems is impaired wound healing and efficient remedies are urgently needed. Phytomedicines could be an interesting alternative for the treatment of this known subsequent damage of diabetic patients. Recently, a betulin-enriched triterpene extract (TE1) from birch bark (Betula alba ssp.) could show promising results regarding wound healing efficacy in a clinical phase II study [1]. This beneficial effect can be explained on the molecular level. TE1 and betulin transiently upregulate pro-inflammatory mediators in epidermal keratinocytes and promote their migration by altering the actin cytoskeleton [2]. Continuing our research we now studied the effects of TE1 and betulin on keratinocytes derived from diabetic patients. TE1 and betulin treatment also led to promising effects on factors which are essential in the inflammatory and the reepithelialization phase of wound healing. mRNA levels of several cytokines, chemokines and other molecular mediators, e.g. IL-6, TNF-α, IL-8, IP-10 and Rantes were altered. Studies on the protein level confirmed these results. Moreover, triterpenes from birch bark affected the organization of the actin cytoskeleton. Proteins like RhoGTPases and p38-MAP-kinase that are known to be involved in this shape change [2] were activated indicating an influence of birch bark triterpenes on the migration of keratinocytes. Therefore, it can be stated that birch bark and its triterpenes do not only have an impact on keratinocytes derived from healthy donors, but also from diabetic donors. Clinical studies with diabetic patients have to confirm these promising results.

Acknowledgements: Funding by Aif and providing of TE1 and the triterpenes by Birken AG is gratefully acknowledged.

References:

[1] Metelmann HR et al. Skin Pharmacol Physiol 2015; 28: 1 – 11

[2] Ebeling S et al. PLoS One 2014; 9(1): e86147