HEALING OF WOUNDS BY USING SPIDER SILK AND MUSTARD OIL

Presented by: Fatima-tuz-ZahraIslamabad model school for girls F-7/2

ABSTRACT :

Wound healing is a natural restorative response to tissue injury. Healing is the interaction of a complex cascade of cellular events that generates resurfacing, reconstitution, and restoration of the tensile strength of injured skin. In this project, an attempt has been made to introduce a natural wound healer which works better than synthetic healers. Medical Researchers have been looking for better alternatives for providing skin grafts to wounds, and it turns out they need look no further than the animal kingdom. They are experimenting with spider silk as bandages for treating simple cuts and abrasions, as well as more serious conditions such as third degree burns. Applying spider silk on a wound could potentially help it heal faster .

Abstract:The silk could act as scaffolding on which healthy skin can grow to heal the wound. This is due to antiseptic properties of spider silk and because the silk is rich in proteins, which can be effective in clotting blood. Along with spider silk , I also use mustard oil Mustard oil contains several compounds (beta carotene, protein, vitamins A vitamin B complex E, alpha omega-3 and alpha omega-6 fatty acids, iron, niacin, manganese, traces of magnesium, supported by less important amounts of foliate, calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium and sodium. )that apart from stimulating blood flow relieve pain and inflammation.  Hence, for centuries traditional medical practitioners use the oil.  With trace amounts of selenium known for its anti-inflammatory properties, Mustard oil is good for pain in joint, skin inflammation, and heals minor skin lacerations, cuts, and wounds.  It tones up the systems, boosts immunity and gives strength.  It also has anti-arthritic and anti-rheumatic properties. .

BACKGROUND : Spider silk:

Well known material :Spider silk is well known for its extraordinary mechanical properties. Spiders can produce several types of silk and the strongest of these - the dragline silk - is one of the toughest materials known to man (Gosline et al., 1999). Already at the beginning of the 18th century, techniques for manufacturing stockings and gloves from spider cocoon silk were described (Bon, 1710-1712). In folklore, spider silk also has medical implications, e.g. to stop haemorrhaging and for wound healing.

Spider silk in medicine :Recently, native spider silk was successfully used to regenerate peripheral nerves in rats (Ambling, et al 2008). Furthermore, old abandoned spider webs seem to have an inherent resistance to microorganisms (Foelix, 1996). It is also used to treat wounds from simple cuts to third degree burn. Thus, spider silk is an attractive material for various purposes

BACKGROUND:

No industrial process for producing spider silk : The main focus of the scientists is that to produce spider silk artificially by using methods suitable for industrial scale. Moreover, in contrast to other man-made high-performance materials, spider silk is produced at ambient temperature and pressure using renewable resources and a benign solvent.

Recombinant spider silk ` spiber :Spiber Technologies has succeeded in mimicking nature’s way of producing spider silk, by letting bacteria produce the miniature spider silk protein. The result is called Spiber

BACKGROUND: . Mustard oil :

Anti-inflammatory properties :With trace amounts of selenium known for its anti-inflammatory properties, Mustard oil is good for pain in joint, skin inflammation, and heals minor skin lacerations, cuts, and wounds.  It tones up the systems, boosts immunity and gives strength.  It also has anti-arthritic and anti-rheumatic properties.

MEDICAL USE OF SPIDER SILK . (HEALING)

DIAMETER OF SPIDER SILK

STRUCTURE OF SPIDER SILK :

SPIDER SILK

WHILE COLLECTING SPIDER SILK :

PICTURE WHILE STERILIZING PETRI DISH AND KNIFE FORCOLLECTING SILKS

STRUCTURE/CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF SPIDER SILK :

The dragline silk of the Golden Orb-Weaving spider is the most studied in scientific research.  Spider silk is a natural polypeptide, polymeric protein and is in the schleroprotein group which also encompasses collagen (in ligaments) and keratin (nails and hair).  These are all proteins which provide structure. The fluid dope is a liquid crystalline solution where the protein molecules can move freely but some order is retained in that the long axis of molecules lie parallel, resulting in some crystalline properties.  It is thought that the spidroin molecules are coiled in rod-shaped structures in solution and later uncoil to form silk. 

During their passage through the narrowing tubes to the spinneret the protein molecules align and partial crystallisation occurs parallel to the fibre axis.  This occurs through self-assembly of the molecules where the polyalanine regions link together via hydrogen bonds to form pleated b-sheets (highly ordered crystalline regions).  These b-sheets act as cross links between the protein molecules and imparts high tensile strength on the silk . It is not purely coincidence that the major amino acids in spider silk are alanine and glycine .  They are the smallest two amino acids and do not contain bulky side groups so are able to pack together tightly, resulting in easier formation of the crystalline regions. The crystalline regions are very hydrophobic which aids the loss of water during solidification of spider silk.  This also explains why the silk is so insoluble - water molecules are unable to penetrate the strongly hydrogen bonded b-sheets.

STRUCTURE/CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF SPIDER SILK:

STRUCTURE/CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF SPIDER SILK:

The glycine-rich spiral regions of spidroin aggregate to form amorphous areas and these are the elastic regions of spider silk.  Less ordered alanine-rich crystalline regions have also been identified and these are thought to connect the b-sheets to the amorphous regions.  Overall, a generalised structure of spider silk is considered to be crystalline regions in an amorphous matrix.  Kevlar has a similar structure. 

It is not entirely clear how the protein molecules align and undergo self-assembly to form silk but it may involve mechanical and frictional forces that arise during passage through the spider’s spinning organs.

COMPARISON BETWEEN PROPERTIES OF SPIDER SILK AND SYNTHETIC SURGICAL SUTURES

PROPERTIES OF SPIDER SILK

PROPERTIES OF ABSORBABLE SURGICAL SUTURES

i. Cheaper and readily available. ii. Have a very low order

transition , high degradation temperature and sustained properties at extreme temperatures.

iii. Functional properties retain about 150 degree centigrade .Thermal decomposition occurs over 250 degree centigrade and particles are stable over 230 degree centigrade for several days

iv. Contains proteins of high quality .

v. Have diameter of 1 micro

meter . vi. Multiple layers offer excellent

healing.

i. Costly and mostly imported. (cannot be readily available)ii. High initial tensile strength,

guaranteed holding power through the critical wound healing period. Smooth passage through tissue, easy handling, excellent knotting ability, secure knot tying iii. Strength retention for at least 7-14

days iv. contains natural purified collagen ,

polyglycolic acid ,polyester and poly (p-dioxanonev. Diameter vary because of different

types of materials vi. Single layer only sometimes

double .

PURPOSE: The purpose of this experiment is to use common materials

that are often found in our homes but they don’t attract us more than looking at them and avoiding. But who knows that one of the mysterious mediums of nature’s art could be used for healing? This experiment will show how these materials can help us in our everyday life medical problems.

Spider silk and mustard oil are the types of materials which were present in almost every home. But we don’t use it for medicinal purposes especially the silk. In this project we are using them for healing wounds and clotting blood. Moreover, the research and results shows that these materials are excellent in these properties.

One of the purpose of this project is to develop awareness in people that the materials like spider silk can be used for medical purposes .

These materials can be used as a first aid. In place of using synthetic healers such as detol , sunny plast , iodine etc we can use these natural healers as they contain components which are considered to be best in wound healing for e.g., proteins in spider silk and selenium in mustard oil.

PROCEDURE :

1. Experiment : 1 To determine the presence of microorganisms: First we take a sample of silk , place it in agar plate and place it in the incubator for the formation of colonies. Then we set the incubator’s temperature around . We kept the sample in it for 2-6 days . At last we observe the sample after 2-6 days under the microscope to know weather the microorganisms are pathogenic or not .

2. Experiment : 2To prove the clotting of blood by using spider silk and mustard oil : First we take 3 different vacutainer containing anticoagulants . After that , we put a small piece of spider silk in one tube ,mixture of spider silk and mustard oil in the second tube and leaving the third tube empty . Then we put blood samples with the help of syringe in each tube . Then we leave the tubes for . After that we observe the tubes for the collection of results.

EXPERIMENTS :

1- Experiment to determine the presence of microorganisms present in the outer surface of silk : First we take a sample of silk , place it in agar plate and place it in the incubator for the formation of colonies. Then we set the incubator’s temperature around . We kept the sample in it for 2-6 days . At last we observe the sample after 2-6 days under the microscope to know weather the microorganisms are pathogenic or not .

2- Experiment to prove the clotting of blood by using spider silk and mustard oil : First we take 3 different vacutainer containing anticoagulants . After that , we put a small piece of spider silk in one tube ,mixture of spider silk and mustard oil in the second tube and leaving the third tube empty . Then we put blood samples with the help of syringe in each tube . Then we leave the tubes for required time . After that we observe the tubes for the collection of results.

HYPOTHESIS :

If spider silk contains healing properties and comprises components essential for wound healing then it could be used as a wound healer .

CONCLUSION :

After performing scientific research we conclude

that spider silk and mustard oil can be used for the purpose of wound healing because of presence of such vitamins (A , B , E complex and vitamin K ) and proteins (alanine and glycine ) which not only enhance the healing process but also joins skin and removes scars rapidly . So one can use these common and totally inexpensive materials for wound healing due to their excellent healing properties .

REFERENCES :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suture_materials_comparison_chart

https://wet.kuleuven.be/wetenschapinbreedbeeld/lesmateriaal_biologie/saravanan.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surgical_suture#Sizes http://www.kraiglabs.com/spider-silk/ Spider silk - Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia The elaborate structure of spider silk

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov http://news.asiaone.com/news/asia/unraveling-

potential-spider-silk