Oxygenated Hydrogel Promotes Re-Epithelialization and Reduces Inflammation in a Perturbed Wound Model in Rat

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Wound Healing Research
• Materials Science

Background:

• Chronic wounds impede healing due to insufficient oxygen supply, critical for cellular processes.
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) accelerates healing but has accessibility limitations.
• Topical oxygen delivery systems are being developed as alternatives to HBOT.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of novel oxygenated gels (P407, P407/P188, nanocellulose-based gel) in promoting wound healing.
• To assess the impact of these gels on re-epithelialization, wound closure, and inflammation in a rat model.
• To compare the performance of oxygenated gels against control groups.

Main Methods:

• Development of oxygenated gels with high dissolved oxygen levels.
• Utilized a rat perturbed wound model to assess healing rates.
• Quantified re-epithelialization distances and wound closure proportions.
• Monitored inflammation levels over a 10-day period.

Main Results:

• P407/P188 oxygenated gels showed significantly greater re-epithelialization by Day 3.
• All tested oxygenated gels resulted in a higher proportion of complete wound closure.
• Oxygenated gels effectively minimized inflammation escalation between Day 3 and Day 10.

Conclusions:

• The developed oxygenated gels demonstrate potential as effective topical treatments for chronic wounds.
• These novel formulations offer a viable and accessible alternative to conventional oxygen therapies.
• Further research into these oxygenated gels could advance wound care strategies.