Effect of quercetin and its combination with cyclodextrin on the healing of burn wounds in laboratory rats

Abstract

. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of quercetin (QC) and its complex with 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (QECD) in healing burn related skin wounds in the rat model. Male Wistar rats were subjected to third-degree burn injury of skin in the interscapular area using a metal rod heated to 80 °C. The area of the skin which the burn was applied to was secured from the surroundings by the protective chamber. In order to estimate the efficacy of different treatment modalities the experiments were carried out in two stages. On first stage of the study, the group of animals (n = 21) was subjected to burn injury and the wound surface was not affected with additional procedures except the substances for treatment being applied. During the second stage of the study with another group of animals (n = 18) the removal of necrotic tissue was carried out over the period of 3 to 7 days. The progress of the wound healing was followed by performing morphometric analyses in order to determine complete re-epithelialization. The phagocytic index of neutrophils was determined in washouts from the wounds during the healing process. The animals used on the first stage of the study were sacrificed at day 21 of the experiment and those on the second stage at day 43 and the tissues were subjected to histological examination. The amounts of white blood cells and phagocytic index of neutrophils were calculated in blood samples followed by the measurements of metabolic activities of neutrophils. The removal of necrotic tissue has been found to promote better wound healing caused by thermal exposure. No reliable evidence has been obtained on QC or QECD abilities to significantly accelerate the burn wound epithelialization. The square of the secondary wound scab covered the damaged skin surface has been found to be decreased in the first group of animals on the 14th day followed by the exposure while the rate of wound epithelialization has been found to be increased in the second group of animals at the final stage of wound healing under the treatment with substances being investigated. As a result the ability of QE and QECD to normalize the white blood cell differential, phagocytic and metabolic activities of neutrophils recruited to a wound and neutrophil blood levels has been found.