Chromatography Investigates Aspirin Impaired Wound Healing

Long term aspirin therapy is sometimes recommended by physicians to combat some conditions - in particular reducing the risk of heart attack. But there is evidence that aspirin can impact wound healing - causing a significant delay. A recent study in India has investigated the properties of a local plant in overcoming the negative effects of aspirin in wound healing - and chromatography played a part in the process.

They identified key components in the plant using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The ability of chromatography to help in the profiling of key components is discussed in the article, Increasing Peak Capacity for the Gradient Analysis of Protein Digests and other Complex Samples.

TCP, a plaster and a lollipop - the art of wound healing

We have all had cuts and wounds. Either a fall as a child, a blunt razor in the bathroom or sports injury - cuts and bruises are a part of life for many people. And when that cut happens the body’s repair systems usually spring into action unless the person has an underlying medical condition such as haemophilia.

Wound healing happens in stages that happen in four overlapping phases. It is also known as the healing cascade and can be broken down into four stages:

1. Inflammation - 0-3 days - body’s emergency response to injury. Blood vessels vasoconstrict reducing blood loss and allowing a clot to form. Red appearance and swelling due to histamine and prostaglandins at the wound site.
2. Destruction - 1-6 days - white blood cells come and remove all the debris, clean the wound and prevent infection by digesting bacteria and tissue. Then white cells die off and a sticky tissue known as slough is made.
3. Proliferation - 3-24 days - builders come in and make new tissue. Fibroblasts are cells responsible for making new blood vessels, collagen and connective tissue. Granulation tissue forms in the wound cavity, initially pink but turns red as blood vessels are formed.
4. Maturation - 21 days-2 years - Macrophages reorganise the collagen to form scar tissue and epithelial cells move oved the granulation tissue reducing the wound size by pulling the edges together. Scar tissue is not as strong as uninjured skin.

Ventilago calyculata helps heal the wound

All this happens naturally without us thinking about it. But if anything disrupts the initial clotting stage then no healing can take place. Research has shown that aspirin affects the wound healing process. Part of the reason it is used in long-term treatment strategies is due to its ability to stop blood thickening and clotting.

Ventilago calyculata is a plant used in Indian and Chinese traditional medicine for skin diseases and to reduce inflammation and pain. A research team in India has published a study where they demonstrated that the plant could increase the speed of wound healing in animal models where aspirin was used.