Evaluation of the Wheat Germ Oil Topical Formulations for Wound Healing Activity in Rats

Effect of Nigella sativa Versus Wheat Germ Oil on the Healing of Traumatic Ulcers in Albino Rats

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Nigella sativa (NS) oil has been used as an ointment for relief from abscesses, nasal ulcers, orchitis, eczema, and swollen joints. The nutritional and biological values of wheat germ oil (WGO) are imperative points for testing its wound healing properties in traumatic ulcer. The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare the ability of NS versus WGO in promoting the healing of induced traumatic ulcer in albino rats clinically and histologically.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study was carried out after the approval of the Research Ethics Committee (REC) of the Faculty of Dentistry, Suez Canal University, in Ismailia, Egypt, on 60 albino rats with induced labial ulcer according to calculated sample size. All animals were anaesthetized with an intraperitoneal injection of 10% ketamine. The ulcer was produced on the labial mucosa corresponding to the midline between the lower two incisors of each rat. After induction of the ulcer, rats were randomly divided into four groups according to the treatment medicament: Group A (negative control group): 15 rats which remained without treatment; Group B (positive control): 15 rats which received daily a topical application of 1 ml of cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) and lidocaine gel; Group C (NS group): 15 rats which received a daily topical application of 1 mm of NS oil painted by a brush covering the whole area of the ulcer; and Group D (WGO group): 15 rats which received 1 mm of WGO. The ulcers were measured using a digital caliper and were recorded using a digital camera at days 0, 3, 7, and 9, the largest (D) and smallest (d) diameters of the lesion were recorded, and the ulcer area was calculated using the following formula: A=π×D/2×d/2. Tissue samples were taken for histological examination, and the labial mucosa was dissected out and embedded in paraffin wax blocks. The blocks were cut with microtome to obtain sections of 4-5 μm thickness to be stained with hematoxylin and eosin stain and Masson's trichrome stain. All sections were examined under a light microscope, and the presence of inflammatory cells and collagen tissue remodeling were evaluated.

RESULTS

Within the control group, there are statistically non-significant changes in the mean of the surface area of ulcer when comparing changes in 10 rats who survived till the seventh day and inflammatory cell count when comparing changes in five rats who were sacrificed at the seventhday. There was a significant decrease in surface area and inflammatory cell count in five rats who survived till the ninth day. Within the WGO group only, all survived rats had healed ulcer at the ninth day. There is a significant decrease in inflammatory cell count in five rats who survived till the ninth day.

CONCLUSION

WGO was significantly more effective in the treatment of animal-induced ulcer compared to NS oil or CPC and lidocaine oral gel.

Fluoxetine Ecofriendly Nanoemulsion Enhances Wound Healing in Diabetic Rats: In Vivo Efficacy Assessment

Impaired diabetic wound healing is a major concern for health care professionals worldwide, imposing an intense financial burden and reducing the quality of life of patients. A dysregulation of this process can be responsible for the development of intractable ulcers and the formation of excessive scars. Therefore, the identification of novel pharmacological strategies able to promote wound healing and restore the mechanical integrity of injured tissue becomes essential. In the present study, fluoxetine ecofriendly nanoemulsion (FLX-EFNE) was prepared and its potential efficacy in enhancing wound healing was tested in diabetic rats. The Box-Behnken response surface design was used to select the optimized formulation that was prepared by the high-shear homogenization-based technique. A Zetasizer was used for the characterization of the optimized formulation, providing a FLX-EFNE with a globule size of 199 nm. For the in vivo study, a wound was induced by surgical methods, and diabetic rats (streptozotocin-induced) were divided into five groups: untreated control, vehicle-treated, FLX, FLX-EFNE, and positive control receiving a commercially available formula. The treatment continued from the day of wound induction to day 21. Then, the animals were sacrificed and skin tissues were collected at the site of wounding and used for biochemical, histopathological, immunohistochemical, and mRNA expression assessments. In the FLX-EFNE treated group, the rate of wound contraction and signs of healing were significantly higher compared to all other groups. In addition, angiogenesis, proliferation, and collagen deposition were enhanced, while oxidative stress and inflammation decreased. The present data highlight the enhanced wound healing activity of the optimized FLX-EFNE formulation.