Evaluation of wound-healing formulation against sulphur mustard-induced skin injury in mice.

Abstract

Sulphur mustard (SM) is a bifunctional alkylating agent that causes cutaneous blisters in human and animals. Remedies to SM-induced dermatotoxicity are still in experimental stage. Due to inevitable requirement of a wound-healing formulation against SM-induced skin lesions, efficacy of formulations including povidone iodine, Aloe vera gel, betaine or framycetin sulphate was evaluated in present study. SM was applied percutaneously (5 mg/kg) once on back region of Swiss albino mice; and after 24 hours, DRDE/WH-02 (Defence Research and Development Establishment/ Wound Healant- 02, containing polyvinylpyrrolidone [PVP], A. vera gel and betaine), Ovadine, Soframycin or A. vera gel were applied topically, daily for 3 or 7 days in different groups. Skin sections were subjected to histopathology, histomorphologic grading, tissue leukocytosis, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) assay and immunohistochemistry of inflammatory-reparative biomarkers. DRDE/WH-02 treated mice received highest score on the basis of histomorphologic scale and lowest number of TUNEL-positive cells compared to other groups. DRDE/WH-02 showed better wound healing as evidenced by widespread re-epithelialization, homogenous fibroplasias well supported by the expression of transforming growth factor-α, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and fibroblast growth factor. Upregulation of interleukin 6 in DRDE/WH-02-treated mice skin resulted in increased tissue leukocytosis and an early removal of tissue debris that initiated reparative process at faster rate compared to other groups. In conclusion, DRDE/WH-02 provided better healing effect and can be recommended as an effective wound healant against SM-induced skin injury.

• Authors: V Lomash, S E Jadhav, F Ahmed, R Vijayaraghavan, S C Pant
• Journal: Human & experimental toxicology (Hum Exp Toxicol) Vol. 31 Issue 6 Pg. 588-605 (Jun 2012) ISSN: 1477-0903 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 22144726 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Gels
• Plant Extracts
• Transforming Growth Factor alpha
• Betaine
• Framycetin
• Povidone-Iodine
• Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III
• Nos3 protein, mouse
• Mustard Gas

Topics

• Aloe
• Animals
• Betaine (therapeutic use)
• Female
• Framycetin (therapeutic use)
• Gels (therapeutic use)
• In Situ Nick-End Labeling
• Mice
• Mustard Gas (toxicity)
• Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III (metabolism)
• Plant Extracts (therapeutic use)
• Plant Leaves
• Povidone-Iodine (therapeutic use)
• Skin Diseases (chemically induced, drug therapy, metabolism, pathology)
• Transforming Growth Factor alpha (metabolism)
• Wound Healing