Accelerated wound healing and reduced scar formation induced by D-mannose: a possible role of mannose binding lectin

Wounds are most commonly caused by accidents, surgery and burns, and can be internal or external. Naturally, the wound healing process can take a long time and lead to scarring. In this study we present a technique to shorten wound healing time and prevent or mitigate scarring using D-mannose that is applied directly on the wound. The results showed that the healing time is almost halved compared to treatment with povidone-iodine solution which is an antiseptic widely used in surgery. D-Mannose is neither an antisepsis nor an antibiotic. We propose a posssible mechanism by which D-mannose binds to D-mannose binding lectin and immediately activates the innate immune system that ultimately phagocytizes pathogens and clears the wound of degraded cells and materials, which reduces inflammation and implicitly wound healing time. D-Mannose also intervenes in the coagulation process by binding to fibrinogen, generating a finer and denser fibrin, which visibly reduces collagen scars. Our findings show that applying D-mannose directly on the wound as a powder shortens wound healing time and visibly attenuates scarring. Apart from the unaesthetic appearance, these scars can also cause a certain tissue dysfunction, regardless of the affected organ.