A wound is an interruption of the normal anatomic structure and function of the skin, which is critical in protecting against foreign pathogens, regulating body temperature and water balance. Wound healing is a complex process involving various phases, including coagulation, inflammation, angiogenesis, re-epithelialization, and re-modeling. Factors such as infection, ischemia, and chronic diseases such as diabetes can compromise wound healing, leading to chronic and refractory ulcers. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been used to treat various wound models due to their paracrine activity (secretome) and extracellular vehicles (exosomes) that contain several molecules, including long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), micro-RNAs (miRNAs), proteins, and lipids. Studies have shown that MSCs-based cell-free therapy using secretome and exosomes has great potential in regenerative medicine compared to MSCs, as there are fewer safety concerns. This review provides an overview of the pathophysiology of cutaneous wounds and the potential of MSCs-based cell-free therapy in each phase of wound healing. It also discusses clinical studies of MSCs-based cell-free therapies.

Background: Fructus Ligustri Lucidi (FLL) is a commonly used herb for treating bone disorders in Chinese medicine. The present study investigates the anti-osteoporotic activity of FLL aqueous extract in the model of postmenopausal bone loss in aged ovariectomized (OVX) female rats. Methods: After eight weeks of treatment of FLL or water, the lumbar spine was scanned by peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT). Effects of FLL water extract on osteogenic and adipogenic differentiations in rat mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were assessed by biochemical methods and staining. Results: FLL aqueous extract significantly inhibited bone mineral density (BMD) loss in total, trabecular and cortical bones without affecting body weight and uterus wet weight. FLL extract significantly promoted osteogenesis and suppressed adipogenesis in MSCs as indicated by the elevated alkaline phosphatase activity, calcium deposition levels and decreased adipocyte number in a dose-dependent manner without cytotoxic effects. Real-time PCR analysis revealed significant increase of osteoprotegerin (OPG)-to-receptor activator for nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) mRNA, indicating a decrease in osteoclastogenesis. Conclusion: The present study demonstrates the osteoprotective effects of FLL aqueous extract on aged OVX rats, stimulation of osteogenesis, inhibition of adipogenesis and osteoclastogenesis in MSCs.

Burns are common injuries, but their treatment remains challenging due to the complex nature of the wound healing process. Burn wounds are classified into different categories based on their size and depth. Treatment modalities vary significantly across these categories, primarily focusing on the inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling phases of burn wound healing. This review summarizes current research on various approaches to enhance burn wound recovery, including advancements in wound dressings, the use of platelet-rich plasma, stem cells, their soluble factors primarily in the form of secretomes or extracellular vesicles, and nano-technologies. Additionally, advancements in modernized traditional medicine are discussed to give a new aspect for burn wound healing. This review also summarizes the barriers in translating bench research to clinical practice in burn wound treatment methods. For an effective translation, researchers and industrial partners should work more closely, while regulatory bodies should streamline the approval procedure.

Recent studies suggested that green tea has the potential to protect against diet-induced obesity. The presence of caffeine within green tea has caused limitations. Cocoa tea (Camellia ptilophylla) is a naturally decaffeinated tea plant. To determine whether cocoa tea supplementation results in an improvement in high-fat diet-induced obesity, hyperlipidemia and hepatic steatosis, and whether such effects would be comparable to those of green tea extract, we studied six groups of C57BL/6 mice that were fed with (1) normal chow (N); (2) high-fat diet (21% butterfat