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. 2016 Aug;13(4):563-71.
doi: 10.1111/iwj.12478. Epub 2015 Jul 20.

Effect of piracetam and nimodipine on full-thickness skin burns in rabbits

Elif Sari  1 , Gungor C Dincel  2
Affiliations

Effect of piracetam and nimodipine on full-thickness skin burns in rabbits

Elif Sari et al. Int Wound J. 2016 Aug.

Abstract

The potential of several drugs for full-thickness skin burns has been investigated, but the treatment of such burns remains a challenge in plastic surgery. The present study was designed to determine the effect of systemic and topical administration of piracetam and nimodipine on full-thickness skin burn wound healing. A total of 36 New Zealand male rabbits were divided into six groups. Full-thickness skin burns were produced in all the groups, except the control group. Piracetam was administered systemically (piracetam-IV) and topically (piracetam-C) for 14 days, and nimodipine was administered systemically (nimodipine-IV) and topically (nimodipine-C) over the burn wounds for 14 days. The sham group underwent burn injury but was not administered any drug. After 21 days, gross examination and histopathological analysis were performed and the results were compared statistically. Nimodipine-C and nimodipine-IV had no effect on burn wound healing. However, both piracetam-IV and piracetam-C significantly enhanced the healing of the full-thickness skin burn wounds, although the latter was more effective, useful and practical in burn wound healing. The histopathological features of the wounds in the piracetam-C group were closer to those of the control group than those of the other groups. Piracetam-C rather than piracetam-IV may promote full-thickness burn wound healing in rabbits.

Keywords: Burn; Full-thickness skin burn; Nimodipine; Piracetam; Wound.

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Conflict of interest statement

None.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Full‐thickness burn wound design; (A) Macroscopic view of the burn wounds, (B) copper cylinder with a diameter of 2 × 2 cm used in the burn wound design.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Macroscopic view of the full‐thickness burn wounds of the groups on day 21; (A) sham, (B) nimodipine‐IV, (C) nimodipine‐C, (D) piracetam‐IV, and (E) piracetam‐C groups. The wound diameter was smallest in the piracetam‐C group, and no exudate was detected in this group (E).
Figure 3
Figure 3
(A) Histopathological appearance of normal skin in the control group, H&E, bar = 200 µm. (B) Histopathological appearance of the dermis of a rabbit in the sham group. Severe inflammatory cell infiltration and irregular connective tissue were seen. H&E, bar = 100 µm. (C) Histopathological appearance of the epidermis and dermis of a rabbit in the nimodipine‐IV group. Partial reepithelialisation and moderate inflammatory cell infiltration were seen. H&E, bar = 100 µm. (D) Histopathological appearance of the dermis of a rabbit in the nimodipine‐C group. Severe inflammatory cell infiltration and many degenerating inflammatory cells, in addition to irregular connective tissue and necrosis, were observed. H&E, bar = 100 µm. (E) Histopathological appearance of the epidermis and dermis of a rabbit in the piracetam‐IV group, showing partial reepithelialisation and a near‐complete underlying dermis. Regular connective tissue was also observed in this group. H&E, bar = 200 µm. (F) Histopathological appearance of the epidermis of a rabbit in the piracetam‐C group, showing full reepithelialisation and a complete dermis. Regular connective tissue was also observed in this group. H&E, bar = 100 µm.
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