Antiviral drug rodopes: evaluation of wound healing activity

A chemical investigation of plant Rhododendron ungernii revealed that its leaves are rich in phenolic compounds: flavonoids, catechins and leucoanthocyanidins. An ointment for external application containing 5% of crude phenolic compounds from R.ungernii leaves named Rodopes, was developed at the I. Kutatateladze Institute of Pharmacochemistry and approved for treatment of various forms of herpetic disease. Wound healing potential of Rodopes was investigated in an excision wound model in mice. Faster wound closure of excision wounds in Rodopes-treated animals in comparison with untreated controls due to the increased wound contracting ability, wound closure time, and regeneration of tissues at wound site was observed. Treatment with Rodopes in an animal model of wound healing caused the increased infiltration of macrophages, neutrophils, and fibroblasts in the wound bed compared to untreated wounds. Moreover, Rodopes exhibited the ability to accelerate scab rejection and full reepithelization in test wounds with no signs of bacterial contamination and to form smooth soft scars disappearing in just 1-2 days. We suggest that Rodopes ointment can find application in the treatment of wounds which require quick coverage of skin epithelial layers.