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Updated: Feb 26, 2026
Ex Vivo and In Vivo Animal Models for Mechanical and Chemical Injuries of Corneal Epithelium
Published on: April 6, 2022
Effect of Topically Administered Chitosan-N-acetylcysteine on Corneal Wound Healing in a Rabbit Model
Corinna Fischak1,2, Robert Klaus1,2, René M Werkmeister1,2
1Center for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Purpose:
The present study was performed to investigate the effect of topically administered chitosan-N-acetylcysteine (C-NAC) on corneal wound healing in a rabbit model.
Methods:
A total of 20 New Zealand White rabbits were included in the randomized, masked, placebo-controlled experiment. A monocular epithelial debridement was induced by manual scraping under general anesthesia. Animals were randomized to receive either C-NAC two times daily or placebo. Monitoring of corneal wound healing was performed with ultra-high-resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) and epithelial fluorescein staining. Measurements were done immediately after and up to 72 hours after wound induction.
Results:
No difference in wound size was found immediately after surgical debridement between the C-NAC group and the placebo group. Wound healing was significantly faster in the C-NAC group compared to the placebo group (p < 0.01 for both methods). A good correlation was found between the OCT technique and the epithelial fluorescein staining in terms of wound size (r = 0.94).
Conclusions:
Administration of C-NAC containing eye drops twice daily leads to a faster corneal wound healing in a rabbit model of corneal debridement as compared to placebo. Ultra-high-resolution OCT is considered a noninvasive, dye-free alternative to conventional fluorescein staining in assessing corneal wound healing also in humans.
