The Effect of Water Soluble Chitin on Wound Healing in Rats

The effect of water soluble chitin on wound healing in rats Chitin and chitosan, polysaccharides made up of polymeric N-acetyl glucosamine and D-glucosamine, are widely found in nature, forming skeletons of crustaceans and insects as well as components of bacteria cell walls. Chitin and chitosan have been known to have many useful biological properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, antimicrobial activity, and wound healing property. The key-point of practical use of chitin was making water soluble form. The purpose of this study was to compare the wound healing effect of water soluble with insoluble chitin. Full-thickness skin incision was made on the backs of the Sprague-Dawley rats. Three groups composed respectively with saline, water insoluble chitin and water soluble chitin were embedded in the wounds. The wound breaking strength and the collagen-hydroxyproline content of the wounded skins were measured and histological examination was performed at the time of 3, 7, 10 days respectively after the procedure. The tensile strength was maximum in case of water soluble chitin. The amount of collagen hydroxyproline was minimum in water soluble chitin. The wound treated with the water soluble and insoluble chitin was completely reepithelialized and granulation tissue in the wound was observed at 7 days after initial wounding. The arrangement of collagen fibers in the skin was orderly and similar to normal skin.

The Effect of Deacetylation of Chitin and Chitosan on Wound Healing in Rats

Chitin and chitosan, polysaccharides made up of polymeric N-acetly glucosamine and D-glucosamine, are widely found in nature, forming the skeletons of crustaceans and insects, as well as the components of bacteria cell walls. Chitin and chitosan have been known to have many useful biological properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, antimicrobial activity, and wound healing. There properties have been known to be different depending on the degree of deacetylation of chitin, but it has not yet been fully evaluated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the wound healing effect by the degree of deacetylation. Full-thickness skin incision was made on the backs of Sprague-Dawley rats. Three concentrations of powder, comprising 90% chitin, 50% chitin and 10% chitin, were separately embedded in the wounds of 3 rat groups. The wound-breaking strength and the collagen-hydroxyproline content of the skin at the wound sites were measured and histological examination was performed at postoperative 3, 7, and 10 days. The 50% chitin group had the highest tensile strenght of all groups. But the 50% chitin and 90% chitin groups had the lowest collagen hydroxyproline levels among all groups. The wounds treated with 50% chitin powder were completely reepithelialized and granulation tissue in the wound was observed 7 days after initial wounding. The arrangement of collagen fibers in the skin was ordered and similar to normal skin The 50% chitin powder is considered to be the most efficient wound healing accelerator among different concentrations of chitin powder.