Enhanced wound healing by topical application of ointment containing a low concentration of povidone-iodine.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of a novel topical wound-healing agent, low-concentration povidone-iodine ointment (LPIO) with a hydrophobic white petrolatum-rich base on skin-wound models in rats and rabbits.


METHODS
The therapeutic efficacy of topically applied LPIO was compared to that of standard-concentration povidone-iodine ointment (SPIO) and non-treatment control, using a full-thickness skin-wound model in 24 hairless rats and a full-thickness skin-defect model in rabbit earlobes. The animals were kept under standardised conditions at the Central Research Laboratory of Maruishi Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. (Osaka, Japan). Therapeutic efficacy was evaluated based on macroscopic wound-size reduction, as well as histopathological and immuno-histochemical examinations.


RESULTS
LPIO enhanced wound healing in rat full-thickness skin ulcers, reducing wound size and inflammation, when compared with that in SPIO and non-treatment control. LPIO also markedly improved wound healing in rabbit earlobe ulcers by significantly improving re-epithelialisation, compared with that in SPIO.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study suggest that LPIO is a useful topical therapy for ulcerative lesions.
Central Research Laboratory, Maruishi Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Osaka, Japan.|Department of Dermatology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan.
O
O
Mitani
Central Research Laboratory, Maruishi Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Osaka, Japan.
A
A
Nishikawa
Department of Dermatology, Meiwa Hospital, Nishinomiya, Japan.
I
I
Kurokawa
Department of Immunology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan.
E C
EC
Gabazza
Central Research Laboratory, Maruishi Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Osaka, Japan.
M
M
Ikeda
Department of Dermatology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Japan.
H
H
Mizutani
D000818:Animals; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D009824:Ointments; D010577:Petrolatum / Q000494:pharmacology; D011206:Povidone-Iodine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects*
D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D009824:Ointments; D010577:Petrolatum; D011206:Povidone-Iodine
PVP-I; ointment; white petrolatum; wound healing; wound model