title: Verapamil, a Calcium-Channel Blocker, Improves the Wound Healing Process in Rats with Excisional Full-Thickness Skin Wounds Based on Stereological Parameters.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Calcium can play noticeable roles in the wound-healing process, such as its effects on organization of F-actinin collagen bundles by fibroblasts at the injury site. In addition, calcium-channel blockers such as verapamil have antioxidant activity by increasing nitric oxide production that promotes angiogenesis, proliferation of fibroblasts, and endothelial cells in the skin-regeneration process. Therefore, in this study, the authors' objective was to investigate the effects of verapamil on the process of wound healing in rat models according to stereological parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this experimental study, 36 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (n = 12): the control group that received no treatment, gel-base-treated group, and the 5% verapamil gel-treated group. Treatments were done every 24 hours for 15 days. Wound closure rate, volume densities of the collagen bundles and the vessels, vessel's length density and mean diameter, and fibroblast populations were estimated using stereological methods and were analyzed by the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests; P < .05 was considered statistically significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The verapamil-treated group showed a faster wound closure rate in comparison with control and gel-base groups (P = .007 and P = .011). The numerical density of fibroblasts, volume density of collagen bundles, mean diameter, and volume densities of the vessels in the verapamil group were significantly higher than those in the control and the base groups (P < .005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors showed that verapamil has the ability to improve wound healing by enhancing fibroblast proliferation, collagen bundle synthesis, and revascularization in skin injuries.
authors.affiliation: Soheil Ashkani-Esfahani, MD, is on the Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Omid Koohi Hosseinabadi, is a Laboratory Assistant at the Center of Comparative and Experimental Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Parinaz Moezzi; Yalda Moafpourian; Sina Kardeh; and Reza Fatheazam are Medical Students and Shima Rafiee is a Researcher on the Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Ali Noorafshan is a Professor and Elham Nadimi is a Laboratory Assistant at the Histomorphometry & Stereology Research Centre, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Shayan Mehrvarz is a Pharmacology Student on the Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Mehdi Khoshneviszadeh is an Assistant Professor and Mahsima Khoshneviszadeh, MSc, is a Research Assistant, at the Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
authors.forename: Soheil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ashkani-Esfahani
authors.forename: Omid Koohi
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Hosseinabadi
authors.forename: Parinaz
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moezzi
authors.forename: Yalda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Moafpourian
authors.forename: Sina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kardeh
authors.forename: Shima
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rafiee
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fatheazam
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Noorafshan
authors.forename: Elham
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nadimi
authors.forename: Shayan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mehrvarz
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khoshneviszadeh
authors.forename: Mahsima
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khoshneviszadeh
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005782:Gels / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D010781:Photography; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013812:Therapeutics; D014700:Verapamil / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D005782:Gels; D014700:Verapamil