Atmospheric plasma control excessive inflammation and oxidative stress in burn wound healing in diabetes-induced rats

Burns are the fourth most prevalent trauma worldwide, and their complications are significantly exacerbated when associated with diabetes, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. This study addresses the urgent need for safe and effective treatments by exploring the therapeutic potential of atmospheric plasma (AP), an ionized gas produced at atmospheric pressure, in enhancing the healing of burn wounds. We investigated the effects of AP on the repair of second-degree dorsal burns in Wistar rats, induced to diabetes with alloxan (45 mg/kg). The animals were randomly assigned to either the sham group (plasma generator off) or the AP group (treated with AP for 1 min daily until the 2nd, 7th, 14th and 21st days). Our findings indicate that AP treatment significantly reduced inflammatory cell accumulation, increased interleukin levels, controlled oxidative damage, and stimulated antioxidant responses. Furthermore, AP promoted angiogenesis, fibroblast proliferation, and collagen fiber organization. These results suggest that AP accelerates tissue healing in diabetic burns, making it a promising treatment for improving burn wound healing in diabetes-induced conditions.