EC Nutrition

Introduction: Pressure ulcers (PUs) represent a localized injury to the skin and underlying tissues provoked by prolonged pressure, friction, or shear. The progression of PUs is highly affected by nutritional status, as malnutrition, obesity, and deficiencies in key nutrients impact collagen synthesis, angiogenesis, and immune responses. Dietary portfolios (DiPos), combines functional foods rich in bioactive compounds, have become a potential nutrigenomic alternative to modulate inflammation and improve wound healing, although their application in PUs remains under-explored.

Objective: Analyze the possible contribution of bioactive compounds in a proposed anti-inflammatory dietary portfolio composed of quinoa, pumpkin seeds, chia, and sesame seeds, and describe their potential impact on inflammatory modulation and pressure ulcer healing.

Methods: A narrative review was conducted using original research articles, theses, case reports, and systematic reviews published between 2012 and 2025. Searches were performed in PubMed, Elsevier, and SciELO, using terms related to pressure ulcers, healing, nutrition, inflammation, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and epithelialization. Sixty-two full-text documents that met the relevance criteria were included.

Results: Evidence shows that pressure ulcer healing involves orchestrated inflammatory, proliferative, and remodeling phases, all of which are dependent on adequate nutrient availability. The functional foods analyzed provide bioactive compounds that can positively influence these processes. Quinoa offers flavonoids and minerals that promote antioxidant activity and favor the polarization of macrophages toward an anti-inflammatory profile. Pumpkin seeds provide tocopherols and tocotrienols with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Chia seeds supply omega-3 fatty acids, arginine, and proline, which promote collagen synthesis and modulate inflammatory mediators. Sesame seeds provide unsaturated fatty acids and antioxidant enzymes such as GPx and CAT, which reduce oxidative stress and inhibit inflammatory pathways, including NF-κB and MAPK.

Conclusion: Integrating functional foods into a specific DiPo may represent a promising complementary strategy for the treatment of pressure ulcers. By reducing inflammatory mediators, regulating oxidative stress, and improving tissue repair, DiPos could shorten healing times and decrease complications such as infections. Further clinical trials are needed to validate their therapeutic application.

 Keywords: Dietary Portfolios; Pressure Ulcers; Dietary Supplements; Bioactive Compounds and Inflammation

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