Study of wound-healing properties of humic substance – zinc complexes in the aseptic wound model in vivo

The aim was to investigate wound-healing properties of zinc-containing biocomposites based on humic ligands (humic substance (HS) – Zn) in the in vivo experiment on the aseptic wound model and to evaluate their resorptive properties.

Materials and methods. The objects of the study were 5 samples of HS-Zn in the form of complex salts comprising fine black powders synthesized in the Laboratory for Natural Humic Systems of the Faculty of Chemistry at Moscow State University. The wound-healing effect of the substances was studied on 70 male Wistar rats using a traumatic model of an excisional aseptic skin wound. The degree of affected skin healing was evaluated during 21 days by the planimetric method. The resorptive properties of the HS-Zn samples were studied by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in the biomaterial (blood serum, fur, skin from the wound surface).

Results. It was found that course application of zinc-containing HS-Zn biocomposites to the wound surface led to a decrease in the wound area in comparison with ZnSO₄ with the equivalent concentration of elemental Zn (1.67 mg/ ml). Two samples FA-Zn and Peat1-Zn showed the most pronounced regenerating effect. We noted an increase in Zn level in the tested skin samples from the wound area, in fur, and in the blood serum, which indicates the resorptive effect of zinc-containing HS-Zn biocomposites during course application; however, the parameters did not exceed limiting permissible concentrations. The correlation between the tested samples was not equal, which indicates a significant impact of the initial HS matrix on the Zn bioavailability.

Conclusion. The observed reparative effect of zinc and HS complexes in the context of their low toxicity is of interest for further study to develop effective wound-healing preparations.

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