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. 2023 Apr 11;16(4):573. doi: 10.3390/ph16040573

Table 2.

Summary of the mechanisms of action of the top 3 most used ingredients analyzed.

Ingredients Wound Healing Phase Targeted Skin Repair Mechanism References
Metal salts and oxides Hemostasis phase
Inflammatory phase
Proliferation phase
Remodeling phase		 Antioxidant effect

  • Neutralization of ROS and other peroxides;

Antimicrobial and biocidal effect
Restoring dermal matrix

  • ↑ Breakdown of collagen fragments promoting wound debris;

  • ↑ Temperature;

  • ↑ Oxygen tension;

  • ↑ Fibroblasts proliferation;

Hemostatic effect

  • ↑ Blood absorption and platelet aggregation;

Anti-inflammatory effect
Antinociceptive effect

  • Blocks N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors;

Angiogenic effect		 [31,32,35,36,37,39,40,41,46,47,49,51,52,58,59,60,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70]
Silicones Hemostasis phase
Proliferation phase
Remodeling phase		 Hemostatic effect:

  • Promotes blood absorption and platelet aggregation.

Restoring dermal matrix

  • ↑ Adhesion and fibroblast proliferation;

  • ↑ Temperature;

  • ↑ Oxygen tension.

Occlusive effect

  • ↑ Skin hydration;

Acts as barrier for bacteria.		 [81,84,86,87,88,89,90,91,92,93,94]
Petrolatum derivatives Inflammatory phase
Proliferation phase
Remodeling phase		 Occlusive effect

  • ↑ Skin hydration;

  • ↑ Collagen synthesis;

  • ↑ Angiogenesis;

  • ↑ Dead tissue and fibrin breakdown;

  • ↓ Scab formation;

Act as barrier for bacteria.		 [96,98,99,100,101,103,104,105,106,107,108,109,110,111,112,113,114,115]
Vitamin E and derivatives Inflammatory phase
Remodeling phase		 Antioxidant effect

  • Neutralization of ROS and RNS;

Anti-inflammatory effect:
↓PGE2 levels; inhibit iNOS mRNA expression, NO production and COX-2 activity; restoring dermal matrix:

  • ↑ Collagen synthesis

  • ↓ Collagen degradation

 [20,117,124,125,126,127,128,129,130,131,132]
Dexpanthenol Proliferation phase Moisturizing effect:

  • ↑ Retention of water;

Restoring dermal matrix:

  • ↑ Fibroblast proliferation

Restoring barrier:

  • ↑ Molecular mobility of several lipid and protein segments of the SC

  • ↑ Synthesis of coenzyme A

  • ↑ Fatty acid and sphingolipid synthesis

 [135,136,138,139,140,141,142,143,144,145,146]
Vitamin A and derivatives Inflammatory phase
Proliferation phase
Remodeling phase		 Anti-inflammatory effect:

  • ↓ NO production;

Restoring dermal matrix:

  • ↑ Collagen synthesis

  • ↓ Collagen degradation

  • ↑ Fibroblast proliferation

  • Inhibition the action of metalloproteinases;

  • Promotes endothelial cell migration;

 [153,163]
Alginate and derivatives Hemostasis phase
Inflammatory phase		 Antioxidant effect
Anti-inflammatory effect
Antimicrobial effect
Moisturizing effect
Exudate absorption		 [181,184,185]
C. asiatica and pure compounds Inflammatory phase
Proliferation phase
Remodeling phase		 Antioxidant effect:
Anti-inflammatory effect:

  • ↑ Angiogenesis

Restoring dermal matrix:

  • ↑ Collagen synthesis

  • ↑ Fibroblast proliferation

 [166,170,171,172,173,174,175,176,177,178,179]

Footnotes: ↑ increase; ↓ reduction.