Heilpflanzen aus den Alpen: Antimikrobielle und wundheilungsfördernde Potenziale ausgewählter Lamiaceae- und Rosaceae-Arten

Secondary plant metabolites such as phenols, terpenes, and steroids protect plants against pathogens and oxidative stress [1–3]. Phenols play a crucial role in wound healing by reducing oxidative stress in skin cells, suppressing pro-inflammatory processes, and promoting cell proliferation and differentiation. At the same time, they exert antimicrobial effects, thereby supporting tissue regeneration, particularly in chronic or poorly healing wounds [4–7].
This study focused on 15 plant species from the families Asteraceae, Rosaceae, and Lamiaceae, collected in alpine regions of Austria and Italy. Extracts were obtained from dried plant material using Soxhlet extraction, ultrasound-assisted extraction, and pulsed electric field (PEF) extraction. The dermatological potential of the extracts was characterized using HPLC-MS and HPLC-DAD, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assays, chemical and cell-based antioxidant assays, and a scratch assay with keratinocytes (HaCaT cells).
Phytochemical analyses revealed that Lamiaceae extracts contained the highest total phenolic content, followed by Rosaceae and Asteraceae. Particularly Rubus idaeus and Origanum vulgare exhibited strong antioxidant activity. Significant inhibition of Staphylococcus epidermidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was observed for Rosaceae and Lamiaceae extracts, especially those of Alchemilla xanthochlora and Satureja montana. In the scratch assay, low concentrations of Lamiaceae extracts—particularly from Satureja montana, Melissa officinalis, and Thymus vulgaris—significantly promoted cell migration and wound closure.
A comparison of the different extraction techniques showed that conventional methods perform equally well as innovative approaches. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of selected Lamiaceae and Rosaceae species as promising sources of bioactive compounds for the development of innovative dermatological treatments.

This work was supported/funded by Interreg Italy–Austria, Project NETTLE (Project 7081_023 NETTLE ITAT-11-007).

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