ORCID

https://orcid.org/ 0000-0003-4956-7289

Department

Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Year of Study

2

Full-time or Part-time Study

Full-time

Level

Postgraduate

Presentation Type

Oral Presentation

Supervisor

Dr Niall Burke

Supervisor

Dr Joanna Tierney

Abstract

Willow bark is considered as a disposable by-product when processing willow for biomass. Willow (Salix) is known to contain high value bioactive compounds which include salicin and its derivatives, and other phytochemicals of interest such as polyphenols and flavonoids. The plant is historically known as the primary source of salicylates to which the well-known drug aspirin is derived from. The work forms part of the Interreg project BioWILL, which is focused on integrated “Zero Waste” biorefinery utilising all fractions of willow feedstock for the production of biochemicals and renewable energy. This project aims to investigate the crude and processed bark extracts from various varieties of willow for their potential capability as beneficial antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, skin barrier and disease arrest agents in skin health care.

There was an observed significance (pS. dasycladosand S. endeavour bark extracts at a concentration range of 0.01 to 0.0001mg/ml, with 52.2% to 87.2% gap closure, respectively, against 40.8% gap closure of the untreated control on human keratinocytes. The extracts also elucidated a positive healing effect in human dermal fibroblasts. This is a promising result for the application of both of these Salix crude extracts for skin wound healing applications. The bark extracts for S. dasyclados and S. endeavour were shown to offer desirable antioxidant effects in human keratinocytes at concentration ranges of 0.1 to 0.0001 mg/ml. The mechanisms to which these extracts offer these benefits are complex and will be further explored in this project.

Keywords:

willow bark, phytochemicals, keratinocytes, dermal fibroblasts, skin care

Start Date

14-6-2022 2:00 PM

End Date

14-6-2022 2:15 PM

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Jun 14th, 2:00 PM Jun 14th, 2:15 PM

BioWILL - Characterising Willow Bark Bio-actives for Skin Therapies

Willow bark is considered as a disposable by-product when processing willow for biomass. Willow (Salix) is known to contain high value bioactive compounds which include salicin and its derivatives, and other phytochemicals of interest such as polyphenols and flavonoids. The plant is historically known as the primary source of salicylates to which the well-known drug aspirin is derived from. The work forms part of the Interreg project BioWILL, which is focused on integrated “Zero Waste” biorefinery utilising all fractions of willow feedstock for the production of biochemicals and renewable energy. This project aims to investigate the crude and processed bark extracts from various varieties of willow for their potential capability as beneficial antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, skin barrier and disease arrest agents in skin health care.

There was an observed significance (pS. dasycladosand S. endeavour bark extracts at a concentration range of 0.01 to 0.0001mg/ml, with 52.2% to 87.2% gap closure, respectively, against 40.8% gap closure of the untreated control on human keratinocytes. The extracts also elucidated a positive healing effect in human dermal fibroblasts. This is a promising result for the application of both of these Salix crude extracts for skin wound healing applications. The bark extracts for S. dasyclados and S. endeavour were shown to offer desirable antioxidant effects in human keratinocytes at concentration ranges of 0.1 to 0.0001 mg/ml. The mechanisms to which these extracts offer these benefits are complex and will be further explored in this project.