Effect of Serum Hyaluronic Acid on Wound Healing in Wister Rats

Abstract

Wound healing is of paramount importance in Veterinary Surgery whenever skin integrity is breached. The faster the healing rate, the better chances to mitigate contamination and infections. There is paucity of information on the use of hyaluronic acid in wound healing in Veterinary medicine. Twenty (20) clinically healthy Wister rats of both sexes were randomly grouped in to four groups (A, B, C, D) of five rats each and allowed to acclimatize for two weeks. Anaesthesia was carried out using a combination of xylazine and ketamine at a dosage rate of 5mg/kg and 50mg/kg respectively, intraperitoneal. Circular skin excision was made on each rat after shaving and scrubbing using 70% ethyl alcohol. Group A rats served as negative control while group B and C served as positive controls povidone iodine and oxytetracycline spray were applied topically respectively, group D served as test group where hyaluronic acid serum was applied topically, healing was monitored for 18 days. Results (macroscopy and histology) shows group D having significant healing rate (p<0.05) compared to A, B and C. Hyaluronic acid serum used in this study was seen to have a significant wound healing contraction potential compared to povidone iodine, oxytetracycline spray and the negative control.