Effect of Carboxymethylcellulose with Low and High Degree of Substitution on Wound Healing

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Wound healing is a dynamic and complex process of tissue repair that involves a number of cellular and molecular events, which is characterized by intercalating degradation and re-assembly of connective tissue and epidermal layer. Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) is one of the most common hydrofiber dressing. This material have a various degree of substitution. Our goal was to test the efficacy of Carboxymethyl cellulose with low and high degree of substitution on wound healing. METHODS: Four round (diameter 2 cm) wounds were made bilaterally on the dorsum of the all rat's trunk and were divided into four groups of dressing material: Group A with gauze dressing as a negative control group, Group B with high gel (DS=0.3), Group C with Aquacel(R) (ConvaTec, US) as a positive control group, Group D with low gel (DS= 0.15). We compared each group with gross findings by means of percentage of wound contraction, percentage of wound epithelization, and percentage of total wound healed area by tracing the remained wound area on each time periods. RESULTS: Group B and C show statistically higher percentage of wound contraction and higher percentage of wound healed than the other groups until 14th day after wound formation. Group D shows higher percentage of wound epithelization rate in early days, but it was reversed that Group B and C show statistically higher percentage of wound epithelization on 21st day after wound formation. Histologically, Group B and C show less inflammatory cell infiltration, faster and more prominent angiogenesis. On the 21st day after wound formation, collagen fibers was more regularly and densely arranged on Group B and C than the other groups. CONCLUSION: This study suggest Carboxymethylcellulose with high degree of substitution induces stable reepithelization and collagen synthesis in the wound healing process and have optimal effective results and is expected as more application of a various property of Carboxymethylcellulose for treatment of wound healing.