Effects of Crocin on Wound Healing and Fibrosis in Vocal Cord Injury: An Experimental Study

This experimental study aimed to evaluate the effects of crocin on wound healing and fibrosis in vocal fold injury.

Thirty-six male Wistar Albino rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: a sham group, a local crocin treatment group, and a systemic crocin treatment group. In the study, all rats underwent injury to their right vocal folds. Six rats from each group were randomly sacrificed on the 5th and 30th days after surgery. Tissue samples were evaluated for lamina propria thickness, inflammation severity, epithelial regeneration, edema, hyaluronic acid, collagen, elastin, and the cytokines TGF-β1, FGF2, and HGF.

In the early phase, less inflammation, more epithelial regeneration, and lamina propria were observed in the systemic treatment group compared to the sham group. In the late phase, Compared to the sham group, both the systemic and local treatment groups showed higher values in lamina propria thickness, elastin, and HGF measurements, while collagen levels were significantly decreased. Furthermore, in the systemic group, TGF-β1 decreased in the late period, while hyaluronic acid and FGF2 levels remained high. When the groups were evaluated within themselves, inflammation and edema were observed to decrease more significantly in the late period in all groups. Hyaluronic acid decreased significantly in the sham and local treatment groups, while this decrease was limited in the systemic treatment group. Lamina propria thickness increased significantly in the treatment groups on day 30 compared to day 5.

Crocin treatment applied using different methods has shown positive effects on various parameters, wound healing, and fibrosis reduction in the early and late periods after vocal fold injury. However, more extensive preclinical and clinical studies are needed to determine the efficacy and applicability of this treatment.