title: Relationships between tensile strength, ascorbic acid, hydroxyproline, and zinc levels of rabbit full-thickness incision wound healing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This work was carried out to follow up the healing of full-thickness incision wounds opened on the back skin of rabbits in order to gain insight into the periodical correlation among such factors as ascorbic acid, collagen (hydroxyproline), the zinc content, and tensile strength of wound tissue. The need to provide vitamin C or zinc supplements after such wound incisions is also discussed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Full-thickness incision wounds and the ascorbic acid and hydroxyproline levels were measured in 24 rabbits by spectrophotometric methods on day 0 and on the 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 15th days after operation. The tensile strength was measured by a polygraph using a force displacement transducer. The zinc levels of the wounds were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The zinc and hydroxyproline levels reached the peak levels on the 5th day, but the tensile strength of wound increased sharply on the 7th day after wounding while the zinc levels did not change. These results indicated that in the first 7 days of wound healing, high levels of ascorbic acid, hydroxyproline, and zinc cumulation occurred in the wound tissue, and the tensile strength reached its highest level on the 15th day without any supplementation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The supplementation of zinc and/or ascorbic acid should therefore be given just at the beginning of the wounding period, especially if there is deficiency of these nutrients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Birsen
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: Bilge
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gönül
authors.forename: Sibel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dinçer
authors.forename: F Nazli
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Dinçer Kaya
authors.forename: Aydan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Babül
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011817:Rabbits; D012867:Skin; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D015032:Zinc; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D006909:Hydroxyproline