Histopathologic evaluation of skin wound healing due to local application of transdermal chitosan patch in combination with doxycycline, zinc nanoparticles, and selenium nanoparticles in mice.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to compare the histopathological changes in experimental skin wound healing in mice treated with a topical application of chitosan combined with doxycycline, as well as zinc and selenium nanoparticles. METHODS: Fifty mice with experimental skin wounds were divided into four equal groups: a control group with no therapeutic intervention, a CsD group receiving a transdermal patch containing doxycycline, a CsDZn group receiving a transdermal patch with chitosan-doxycycline-zinc nanoparticles, a CsZnS group receiving a transdermal patch with chitosan-zinc and selenium nanoparticles, and a CsDZnS group receiving a transdermal patch containing chitosan-doxycycline-zinc and selenium nanoparticles. After synthesizing and confirming the efficacy of the transdermal patches, we measured the wound area and histological indices of wound healing on the 7th and 14th days of the study. RESULTS: The results showed that the use of selenium and zinc nanoparticles leads to a decrease in the wound surface in the CsDZnS group compared to the control group and remaining experimental groups. A significant reduction in inflammation and hemorrhage was recorded in the CsDZnS group compared to other groups. On the seventh day of the study, angiogenesis in the CsDZnS group was higher than in the other groups. In addition, on the 14th day of the study, orientation of collagen fibers and re-epithelialization were more observed in the CsDZnS group compared to the other groups. CONCLUSION: The chitosan skin patch containing doxycycline, zinc nanoparticles, and selenium nanoparticles (CsDZnS group) demonstrated the most effective results in skin healing, as evidenced by the highest control of inflammation on days 7 and 14, the greatest re-epithelialization on day 14, and the smallest wound area on both days compared to the other evaluated groups.