Wound healing properties of pharmaceutical gel containing isopimarane diterpene isolated from Kaempferia galanga L

Kaempferia galanga L. rhizomes have been widely used in Thailand as medicine for treating inflammation and wound. A number of bioactive compounds have been isolated from the rhizomes of K. galanga and these compounds exhibited various pharmacological activities. The objective of this study is to investigate the wound healing properties of gel containing 6β-acetoxysandaracopimaradiene-1α, 9α-diol (KG6), a compound from K. galanga. KG6 gel formulations were prepared using 1.0% carbopol 940 as gelling agent. Three KG6 gel formulations (0.10, 0.25, 0.50% w/w) were subjected to heating-cooling test to determine their physical, chemical and biological stabilities. The wound healing properties of KG6 gel formulations were performed using RAW264.7 cells for anti-inflammatory effect, while their impact on cell proliferation and migration, collagen content and H2O2-induced oxidative stress was examined using human dermal fibroblasts (HDF). The pH, viscosity and general appearance after the heating-cooling test of the three prepared gels were stable in the acceptable range of gel formulation for skin. Gel containing 0.25% KG6 showed better chemical stability than other formulations. The 0.25% KG6 gel significantly increased cell viability (102.8%) and produced the highest HDF cell migration (91.9%) which was greater than that of Aloe vera gel (96.2, 78.4%, respectively). This gel exhibited anti-inflammatory activity via suppressing nitric oxide release and improved the viability of HDF cells against H2O2-induced oxidative stress. The 0.25% KG6 gels also increased collagen content in HDF cells. The gel formulation consisting of 0.25% KG6 with 1.0% of carbopol 940 was found to be a promising pharmaceutical gel for wound treatments due to marked wound healing properties. [Display omitted] •This is the first report of wound healing gel containing 6β-acetoxysandaracopimaradiene-1α, 9α-diol (KG6) isolated from Kaempferia galanga.•Gel formulation consisting of 0.25% KG6 with 1.0% carbopol 940 is found to have the good physical, chemical and biological stabilities.•The 0.25% KG6 gel promotes anti-nitric oxide production, cell proliferation, cell migration, collagen production and anti-oxidant activities.•KG6 gel could be used for wound treatment.