The effect ofcold atmospheric plasma (NO) alone and incombination with NPH insulin onthe full-thickness excisional wound healing inadiabetic rat model.

Abstract

This study was planned toinvestigate analternative treatment modality indiabetic wound healing. Inthis experimental study, the efficacy ofboth cold atmospheric plasma/nitric oxide (NO) and NPH insulin ointment, recently known tohave beneficial effects onwound healing, was investigated indiabetic wound healing. Twenty-four (24) diabetic rats were divided into four groups DC, DI, DNO and DINO (diabetic control, diabetic insulin, diabetic nitric oxide, diabetic insulin+ nitric oxide groups). Notreatment was applied tothe DC group, NPH insulin was applied tothe DI group, CAP/NO was applied tothe DNO group, and CAP/NO+ NPH insulin was applied tothe DINO group once daily for 14days. The wound area reduction and the wound contraction rate were calculated onthe basis ofthe tissue sections taken, and histopathological and genetic analyses were carried out. Compared tothe control group, exogenous NO gas was found tobe apotent antibacterial agent inthe diabetic wound healing, causing areduction inthe wound area (P=0.034), anincreased contraction rate (P=0.021), epithelialisation (P=0.02), collagen organisation (P=0.006) and areduction inthe number ofinflammatory cells (P=0.002). Asignificant increase inthe expression ofIL-8 mRNA was observed (P=0.026). Itwas concluded that NPH insulin alone contributes towound healing, but itis not necessary touse ittogether with exogenous NO gas.