Evaluation of the wound-healing potential of the kiwifruit extract by assessing its effects on human gingival fibroblasts and angiogenesis.

Background: Oral surgery and surgical interventions in the field of periodontology require the uneventful wound healing of soft tissues to be successful. However, since the oral cavity is exposed to saliva and is a niche for oral microorganisms, wound healing can be delayed, causing pain and discomfort to the patient. Hence, a great deal of interest has shifted to the study of agents that can enhance wound-healing processes.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the oral wound-healing potential of the Actinidia deliciosa (kiwifruit) extract by assessing its effects on the viability, proliferation and migration of human gingival fibroblasts, and its ability to enhance angiogenesis in the chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM).

Material And Methods: The collection of the A. deliciosa extract and experimentation were carried out in the Maratha Mandal Dental College, Belgavi, India. Human gingival fibroblasts were cultured in a suitable medium and treated with 6.25 μg, 12.5 μg or 25 μg of the ethanolic kiwifruit extract. The MTT cell viability and scratch assays were then carried out in vitro. To determine the angiogenic potential of the extract, solutions of concentrations of 10 μg/mL, 50 μg/mL and 100 μg/mL were transferred to sterile Whatman™ filter paper disks, which were placed on the CAM of 5-day-old Leghorn chicken eggs.

Results: The ethanolic extract of A. deliciosa was not cytotoxic to gingival fibroblasts at a dosage of 6.25 μg/mL. In addition, the scratch assay demonstrated the migration of the fibroblasts and the closure of an artificially created wound within 24 h, which is similar to in vivo wound closure. The CAM assay showed that the kiwifruit extract concentrations of 10 μg/mL and 50 μg/mL showed a moderate proangiogenic effect, and a concentration of 100 μg/mL exerted a strong pro-angiogenic effect.

Conclusions: The results demonstrate that the kiwifruit extract is safe to use, can enhance the proliferation and migration of human gingival fibroblasts, and promotes angiogenesis, making it a suitable oral wound-healing agent.