Pogoryelov M. V., Kalinkevych O. V., Solodovnyk O. V., Oleshko O. M., Kalinkevych O. M.,
Korniyenko V. V., Tkachenko Yu. A., Tkach G. F., Danylchenko S. M., Babich I. M.
CHITOSAN USAGE FOR TREATMENT OF SKIN DAMAGES OF VARIOUS
ETHIOLOGY
Natural and synthetic materials are used for effective treatment of deep wounds of
different ethiology. These materials influence on wound microenvironment, fasten wound
healing process and reduce the number of complications. In recent times, there are many studies
concerning chitosan usage as the biologically-active material base. Chitosan is a derivant from
chitin polymer. Chitosan has various characteristics, which determine its use as the material
during plasty of skin defects. They are resource’s restoring, nontoxicity, apyrogeniaty,
hemostatic and bacteriostatic features, biocompability and biodegradation.
Besides, this
material may stimulate regeneration process and prevent from epulosis. However, literature does
not provide any data concerning chitosan influence on wound treatment of various ethiology.
Thus, the scope of our research is to study efficiency of the chitosan membrane usage
during the various ethiology of skin damage healing.
Materials and Methods
Materials for the defect covering we got from the Institute of Applied Physics of National
Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. To get chitosan gel the low-molecular chitosan was used,
derived from Kamchatka crab shields (by Sklyar A. M.) without any admixtures (refer to
microscopic investigations - XRD). 2% chitosan solution was prepared in 0,5% acetic acid
within 24 hours. It was sifted though a glass filter with middle-sized pores, derived gel pH was
not below 7,0. The derived gel formed a thick middle-soluble firm on resin support within 10
minutes. The teflon frames were used to form firms of thickness more than 0,5mm within 1-3
days.
The experiment was conducted on 108 male six month old white laboratory rodents and
they were kept in a vivarium under stationary conditions. Under anesthesia each experimental
animal had IIIa-degree burn with diameter of 15mm on the interscapular region of skin with
preliminary removed hair-covering. To understand the peculiarities of various ethiology wound
healing animals got thermal and chemical burns (with 10% azotic acid), and a deep mechanic
injury. Animals were brought out the experiment on 3rd, 7th, 14th and 21st days after damaging.
These days reflect the main periods of skin regenerative process. The wound repair rate indexes
and wound cytogram were studied to analyze the wound healing peculiarities.
Results and Discussion
Chitosan film usage forms optimal microenvironment in the wound as it is possible to do
gas exchange, control liquid loss and prevent from surface microbial contamination. Moreover,
material stimulates cell population kinetics in a reclaim proved by some scientists. There is
leucocytes’ increase on a chemical burn surface and their reduction on the wound surfaces of
other
ethiology.
This
demonstrates
cell
composition
normalization
using
chitosan.
Simultaneously there is reduction of neutrophil number as the mark of inflammatory response
lowing within the damage area. There is percentage increasing of monocytes, macrophages and
multinucleated cells characterizing by active phagocytosis. It leads to speed wound cleaning and
granulation formulating and its further epithelization.
Till 21st observing day there is full epithelization of the defect surface for each burn type.
Epithelization begins quiet early, only if chitosan membrane is used, comparing to the control
set and it happens on 8,2±0,1 days for the mechanical injury, 10,2±0,3 days for the thermal burn
and 11,8±0,5 days for the chemical burn. Full defected surface epithelization happens earlier and
takes due to the type of the burn 16,8±0,3 days; 17,6±0,5 days and 19,9±0,6 days. Though,
wound repair rate for the mechanical injury is 0,89±0,05 mm/day; thermal burn – 0,85±0,08
mm/day and chemical burn is 0,75 mm-day.
Conclusion
Thus, wound healing of various ethiology includes inflammatory response establishment
and further granulation formation and wound surface epithelization. This response is more
defined under thermal injury or mechanical damage. While, there is phagocytosis process and
epithelium formation reduction in case of a chemical burn, these lead to wound epithalization
slow-up. If chitosan membrane is used for surface treatment, there is inflammatory response
reduction and phagocytosis activation. These lead to earlier beginning of epithalization period on
average for 2,4 days and increase wound repair rate. So, period of the full epithalization of defect
surface may be shorten for 2,2 day.