γ-Oryzanol: A nutrient-rich ingredient for promoting wound healing

γ-Oryzanol (Orz) is a powerful antioxidant found in rice bran and oil, known for its numerous health benefits. Nevertheless, its precise impact on skin wound healing remains largely unexplored. This research focuses on comprehensively examining the ability of Orz to promote tissue repair through laboratory-based and animal model experiments. The research further examines its antimicrobial activity and its role in promoting wound healing through anti-inflammatory effects. To evaluate the effect of Orz on tissue repair, scratch assays performed <i>in vitro</i> were used to analyze its impact on cellular migration. An <i>in vivo</i> experiment utilizing a rat skin wound excision model was carried out to investigate wound contraction rates and analyze histological modifications. The granulation tissue from a dead space wound model was examined to assess the levels of inflammatory mediators, free radicals, and antioxidant activity. The findings of the study demonstrated Orz improves cellular viability while facilitating the proliferation and migration of NIH-3T3 cells. It further promotes the generation of growth factors, such as fibroblast growth factor 21 and transforming growth factor-β. Moreover, Orz exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against various pathogens commonly found in wounds. An ointment with 10 % Orz showed significant effectiveness in promoting wound healing, as indicated by notable wound contraction observed on the 14th day after surgery. Histological analysis demonstrated that the application of 10 % Orz ointment resulted in remarkable tissue repair, heightened fibroblast proliferation, and improved formation of new blood vessels. The application of Orz ointment was also found to elevate interleukin-10 levels, reduce tumor necrosis factor-α levels and ED-1-immunopositive cells, and enhance antioxidant enzyme activity, thereby mitigating oxidative damage in healing tissues throughout the initial stages of tissue repair. These results indicate that Orz holds significant promise for application in the treatment of surface wounds.