Comparison of topical iodine and silver sulfadiazine as therapies against sulfur mustard burns in a pig model.
Sulfur mustard (SM) is a powerful vesicant used as an agent of chemical warfare. The severity of lesions incurred after exposure to SM reiterated the need for an efficient and rapid neutralizing agent against SM. Previous studies have shown that postexposure treatment with iodine is effective against SM lesions in rodents. In the current study we used the pig model to emulate SM-induced burn lesions, and observed the immediate effect of a single dose of iodine formulation treatment on these burns. SSD, a common agent recommended for use in both chemical and thermal burns was used as control. Results indicated that 1.27 mg of SM caused deep lesions and histopathological changes in the pig skin as scored in the biopsies obtained. A single application of an iodine formulation 20 minutes from exposure to SM exhibited no protective action on the skin as evident in the biopsies obtained 1, 3, 5, 10, and 21 days after treatment. SSD treatment induced the least protective action. The SSD-treated wounds also took the longest to heal. Attempts to neutralize the SM action with iodine compounds were not successful in the pig model. Currently, other compounds are being investigated. Attention must be drawn to the adverse effect of SSD on SM-induced wounds. Further studies must be initiated to elucidate this phenomenon.
Margulis
Alexander
A
Burn Unit, Department of Plastic Surgery, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel. margul13@yahoo.com
Chaouat
Malka
M
Ben-Bassat
Hannah
H
Eldad
Arieh
A
Icekson
Michael
M
Breiterman
Semion
S
Neuman
Rami
R
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D002057:Burns, Chemical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D007455:Iodine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009151:Mustard Gas / Q000633:toxicity*; D012837:Silver Sulfadiazine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013552:Swine; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
D007455:Iodine; D009151:Mustard Gas; D012837:Silver Sulfadiazine