methylcellulose and Wounds--Penetrating

The frontal leaves of Tectona grandis (Verabinaceae) are widely used in the folklore for the treatment of various kinds of wounds, especially burn wound. The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of hydrochloric extract of Tectona grandis on experimentally induced wounds in rats and compare the effects observed with a known wound healing agent, Aloe vera. The models selected were excision wound, incision wound, burn wound and dead space wound. A suitable gel formulation was selected for the application using cellophane membrane penetration. In the excision wound and burn wound models, animals treated with Tectona grandis leaf extract showed significant reduction in period of epithelisation and wound contraction 50%. In the incision wound model, a significant increase in the breaking strength was observed. Tectona grandis leaf extract treatment orally produced a significant increase in the breaking strength, dry weight and hydroxyproline content of the granulation tissue in dead space wound. It was concluded that Tectona grandis leaf extract applied topically (5% and 10% gel formulation) or administered orally (250 mg and 500 mg/kg body weight) possesses wound healing activity.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Administration, Topical; Aloe; Animals; Burns; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; Dermatologic Surgical Procedures; Disease Models, Animal; Drug Carriers; Drug Compounding; Gels; Granulation Tissue; Hot Temperature; Hydrochloric Acid; Hydroxyproline; Hypromellose Derivatives; Male; Methylcellulose; Plant Extracts; Plant Leaves; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Skin; Solvents; Verbenaceae; Wound Healing; Wounds, Penetrating

The repair of nerve gap injuries with tubular nerve guides has been used extensively as an in vivo test model in identifying substances which may enhance nerve regeneration. The model has also been used clinical nerve repair. The objective of this study was to compare three different gel matrix-forming materials as potential vehicles for growth factors in this system. The vehicles included a laminin containing extracellular matrix preparation (Biomatrix), collagen, and a 2% methylcellulose gel. The growth factor test substance consisted of a combination of platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I). An 8-mm gap in rat sciatic nerve was repaired with a silicone tube containing each of the vehicles alone or with a combination of each vehicle plus PDGF-BB and IGF-I. At 4 weeks after injury, the application of the growth factor combination significantly stimulated axonal regeneration when applied in methylcellulose or collagen, but not in Biomatrix. A similar trend was present between the vehicle control groups. By 8 weeks after injury, nerves repaired with methylcellulose as a vehicle had significantly greater conduction velocity than either collagen or Biomatrix. It was concluded that a 2% methylcellulose gel was the best of the three matrices tested, both in its effects on nerve regeneration and flexibility of formulation.

Topics: Animals; Collagen; Electrophysiology; Extracellular Matrix; Gels; Growth Substances; Laminin; Male; Methylcellulose; Nerve Regeneration; Pharmaceutical Vehicles; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Sciatic Nerve; Time Factors; Wounds, Penetrating