Co-treatment of wounds in rabbit skin with equine platelet-rich plasma and a commercial ointment accelerates healing

• Main Authors: Rodrigo Supranzetti de Rezende, Duvaldo Eurides, Endrigo Gabelline Leonel Alves, Guilherme Costa Venturini, Rodrigo Lopes de Felipe
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Federal de Goiás 2020-04-01
• Series: Ciência Animal Brasileira
• Online Access: https://www.revistas.ufg.br/vet/article/view/56274

Autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is beneficial in the healing process of reconstructive surgeries, contributing to the stimulation of angiogenesis; however, heterologous plasma has been shown to be more effective. The objective of this study was to verify, by macro- and microscopic evaluation, whether PRP accelerates the healing process as compared to a commercial ointment containing gentamicin, sulfanilamide, sulfadiazine, urea, and vitamin A (study ointment). This study used 24 white New Zealand rabbits, aged 12 months, and each weighing approximately 3 kg. The animals were separated into 4 equal groups and underwent wound induction through skin removal in the thoracic (study wound) and lumbar (control wound) dorsal midline. Study wounds were co-treated with equine PRP and the study ointment. Control wounds were treated with only the study ointment. Group I underwent histological evaluation 3 days after the skin removal procedure, group II after 7 days, group III after 14 days, and group IV after 21 days. A skin fragment was collected from each animal for histological evaluation. The co-treatment with heterologous equine PRP and the study ointment accelerated the healing process in the surgically induced skin wounds, confirming the acceleratory effect of PRP on wound healing. Keywords: healing, skin, growth factors, platelet rich plasma.