The objective of this study was to evaluate the healing effects of a
chitosan-based, film-forming gel containing
tyrothricin (TYR) in various rat
wound models, including
burn, abrasion, incision, and excision models. After solidification, the
chitosan film layer successfully covered and protected a variety of
wounds.
Wound size was measured at predetermined timepoints after
wound induction, and the effects of the film-forming gel were compared with negative (no treatment) and positive control groups (commercially available
sodium fusidate ointment and TYR gel). In
burn, abrasion and excision
wound models, the film-forming gel enabled significantly better healing from 1 to 6 days after
wound induction, compared with the negative control. Importantly, the film-forming gel also enabled significantly better healing compared with the positive control treatments. In the incision
wound model, the breaking strength of
wound strips from the group treated with the film-forming gel was significantly increased compared with both the negative and positive control groups. Histological studies revealed advanced granulation tissue formation and epithelialization in
wounds treated with the film-forming gel. We hypothesize that the superior healing effects of the film-forming gel are due to
wound occlusion, conferred by the
chitosan film. Our data suggest that this film-forming gel may be useful in treating various
wounds, including
burn, abrasion, incision and excision
wounds.