Folate Bioavailability in Reconstructed Skin Models and Effects of Folate in a Monolayer Wound Healing Assay: Approaches on Topical Application

April 2021 in “ bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) ”

D. Dressler, Martin Ulmann, Gerd Wiesler

folate L-formyltetrahydrofolate L-mefolinate L-folinate L-methyltetrahydrofolate keratinocytes epidermis wound healing bioavailability metabolic conversion folic acid skin model wound healing assay

TLDR Topical folates can penetrate skin and enhance wound healing.

The study investigated the penetration and effects of reduced folates applied topically using in-vitro reconstructed skin models. It was found that both aqueous and lipophilic solutions of L-formyltetrahydrofolate and L-mefolinate salts could penetrate the epidermis within 24 hours. The skin model also demonstrated the metabolic conversion of L-folinate to L-methyltetrahydrofolate. In a wound healing assay with primary human keratinocytes, all tested folates enhanced wound healing compared to the control. The study provided evidence for the bioavailability, metabolic conversion, and physiological effectiveness of new folate formulations, supporting their potential use in topical applications.

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