Infection within avascular necrotic tissue impedes the healing process of burn wounds. Hyaluronic acid (HA), a common component of the extracellular matrix (ECM), is a promising biomaterial for use in dermatology. Its biocompatibility, coupled with its hydrophilic characteristics that assist in moisture regulation and its bacteriostatic attributes, makes it particularly advantageous for managing bioburden and promoting burn healing. The objective of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of the combined treatment of mupirocin and a hyaluronic acid (MUP+HA) gel in a rat model of third-degree skin burn. Methods: Thirty male rats were divided into five groups: healthy, negative control, mupirocin gel, hyaluronic acid gel, and a combination of mupirocin and hyaluronic acid gel. A topical gel was applied twice daily to a 10-mm circular burn, and the rats were euthanized after 21 days. We assessed the burn contraction % (BCA%) and performed histological and immunohistochemical analyses on skin samples. Results: The new MUP+HA gel significantly increased BCA%, showing an 80±9.23% rise (P≤ 0.001) compared to the negative control group. Histology showed a marked decline in inflammatory cells (P ≤ 0.004), along with notable increases in collagen deposition (P ≤ 0.001), re-epithelialization of skin tissue (P ≤ 0.01), and new blood vessel formation (angiogenesis) (P ≤ 0.05) compared with the negative control group. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) demonstrated substantial reductions in TNF-α (P≤0.05) relative to the negative control group, with IL-10 and VEGF levels returning to baseline after full healing. Conclusion: The MUP+HA gel demonstrated superior efficacy to either the MUP or HA gel alone in promoting burn healing in a rat model, as evidenced by accelerated wound closure and improved histological and immunohistochemical outcomes.
Ameri et al. (Thu,) studied this question.