Comparison of the healing effects of topical Phenytoin, Estrogen and Silver Sulfadiazine on skin wounds in male rats

Background and aim: Shortening of the duration of wound healing is an attractive subject for investigators in recent years. In this study, the effects of topical phenytoin, silver sulfadiazine, estrogen and their combination on wound healing were evaluated.Materials and Methods: This experimental study was accomplised on 30 male albino rats, which had an approximate weight from 110 to 150 grams and were kept under standard conditions. A skin wound with a diameter of 20 mm was cut on the back of neck of each rat. Animals were divided into 6 groups and each animal was cared in a special isolated cage. For the first group, no drugs were used on the wounds. Topical 1% silver sulfadiazine cream was used in the second group. Third group recevied topical 1% phenytoin ointment. Wounds in fourth group were treated with 0.06% estrogen cream. Wounds in the fifth group were treated with the combination of 1% silver sulfadiazine and 1% phenytoin creams and wounds in the sixth group were treated with combination of 1% silver sulfadiazine cream and the estrogen cream. Surgery day was considered as the first day and animals were followed up for 28 days. Wound surface area was assessed on each animal and the healing rate was assessed on days: 1, 3, 7, 14, 21.Results: The most effective treatments were topical estrogen cream alone and topical phenytoin-silver sulfadiazine combination. Combination of topical estrogen and other drugs and phenytoin alone showed less acceleration on wound healing.Conclusion: Although application of topical estrogen cream alone or combination of phenytoin and silver sulfadiazine creams showed more healing effect, but there was no significantly difference on the wound healing of animals that were treated by these products. Further studies on human wounds with larger sample size is suggested.