Alpha-boswellic acid accelerates acute wound healing via NF-κB signaling pathway

Abstract Boswellic acids (BAs) showed promising effects in cancer treatment, immune response regulation, and anti-inflammatory therapy. We aimed to assess the roles of alpha-BA (α-BA) in treating acute wound healing. ELISA assay results indicated that α-BA treatment reduced the production of inflammatory cytokines and increased the protein levels of epidermal growth factor (EGF). Cell function experiments demonstrated that α-BA suppressed the proliferation and migration ability of human hypertrophic scar fibroblasts (HSFBs), thereby favoring wound healing. Additionally, α-BA exerted a significantimpact on cell cycle progression. Mechanistically, the protein levels of key genes in nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-κB) signaling pathway, including cyclin D1, p65, IκBα, and p-IκBα, were downregulated by α-BA. Animal models further indicated that wound healing was notably accelerated in the α-BA group compared to the control group (P < 0.01). These findings suggest the potential of α-BA for development as a new agent for treating acute wound healing.