Omnia SanaSymptom → Plant Sources
Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) and Wounds: evidence and sources
Vulnerary for minor wounds, bruises and insect bites
For educational purposes only, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using medicinal plants, especially alongside prescribed medication, during pregnancy, or for a serious condition.
2 sources supporting Witch Hazel for Wounds. Includes scientific publications, books, monographs and traditional-use references.
Mechanistic basis
This use is associated with the plant's astringent, vulnerary (wound healing) actions. Further evidence for that pharmacology:
Hamamelis virginiana L. (witch hazel) is a traditionally used medicinal plant, well-known for its dermatological applications. The plant's bark and leaves contain a rich array of bioactive compounds, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, catechins, proanthocyanidins, and tannins, many of which exhibit antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and wound-healing properties. These activities have been verified by numerous in vitro and in vivo studies, as well as limited clinical trials. The H. virginiana extracts have demonstrated effectiveness against bacteria, fungi, and some viruses. Moreover, the extracts exert anti-inflammatory effects by modulating cytokine expression and NF-κB signaling, improve skin regeneration, and protect against UV-induced damage and pollution. This review highlights H. virginiana as a complex botanical resource to be used in dermatology and cosmetology and shows that current research offers encouraging results for its future therapeutic use, especially in skin treatment.
Hamamelis virginiana L. a rich source of both condensed and hydrolyzable tannins, utilized to treat dermatological disorders. Since no experimental and clinical data is available for its use as oral formulation in skin related disorders, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Hamaforton™ ( Hamamelis virginiana extract) metabolites on gene dysregulation induced by ultraviolet A radiation in cultured human dermal fibroblasts. A combination of in vivo and ex vivo experimental designs has been exploited in order to take into account the polyphenol metabolic transformation that occurs in humans. 12 healthy volunteers received either a capsule of Hamaforton™ or a placebo in a randomized, blinded crossover trial. After Hamaforton™ ingestion, the kinetic of appearance of galloyl derivatives was measured in plasma. Then, in the ex vivo experiment, the serum isolated after supplementation was used as a source of Hamaforton™ metabolites to enrich the culture medium of dermal fibroblasts exposed to ultraviolet A radiation. Three different gallic acid metabolites (4-O-methyl gallic acid, 4-O-methyl gallic acid sulphate and trimethyl gallic acid glucuronide) were identified in volunteer plasma. While, ultraviolet A irradiation of dermal fibroblasts affected the expression of extracellular matrix genes, the presence of Hamaforton™ metabolites in the culture media did not affect the expression of most of those genes. However, the activation of the expression of 10 different genes involved in repair processes for the maintenance of skin integrity, suggest that the metabolites can play a role in damage recovery. To our knowledge, this is the first study that demonstrates the bioavailability of Hamaforton™ phenolic compounds, and the effects of its metabolites on cultured dermal fibroblast response to ultraviolet A irradiation.