title: Saving the zone of stasis in burns with melatonin: an experimental study in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies aimed at recovering the zone of stasis are one of the major issues of experimental burn studies. Many drugs including antithrombotics, anticoagulants, anti-inflammatories have been investigated experimentally for saving the zone of stasis. In this study, the effect of the systemic melatonin on the zone of stasis was evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty Wistar Albino rats were used in the study. Rats were assigned to two groups (n=10). The metal comb 1x2 cm in size was immersed in boiling water and held for 20 seconds on the back of the rats to create burn wounds.No treatment was given to the control group. Melatonin was given at a dose of 10 mg/kg/d by intraperitoneal injection in the treatment group for 7 days. Daily digital photographs of both groups were obtained. Total necrotic burn areas and the zone of stasis were assessed with Auto CAD and Visual Analyzing computer programs. At the end of one week, rats were sacrificed and skin biopsies were taken for histological examination. Edema, congestion, inflammatory infiltration, vascular proliferation and fibrosis were the parameters evaluated. Data were evaluated statistically by Chi-square test and Student-t test
  
  
  RESULTS
  When histopatologic data and the measured values for total necrotic areas and zone of stasis of the experimental group werecompared to control group, the results were statistically significant (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to the results of this study, melatonin is efficient in saving the zone of stasis in burns.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Necmettin Erbakan University Faculty of Medicine, Konya, Turkey. drmuhammetkayapinar@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Muhammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kayapınar
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Necmettin Erbakan University Faculty of Medicine, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nevra
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Seyhan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Necmettin Erbakan University Faculty of Medicine, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa Cihad
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Avunduk
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Necmettin Erbakan University Faculty of Medicine, Konya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nedim
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Savacı
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002056:Burns / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D008550:Melatonin