Cutaneous wound healing modulation of lesions infected by Staphylococcus epidermidis and treated with 4% stabilized sodium hypochlorite solution

Background: Stabilized sodium hypochlorite solution at 4% (4% NaClO) is a product with healing properties but still little studied scientifically. Here we evaluated the administration of 4% NaClO in a model of clean and infected skin lesions.

Methods: Lesions were obtained on the dorsal region of Wistar rats. The wounds of some animals were inoculated with Staphylococcus epidermidis (50uL, 10-7) and clean and infected lesions were treated with Trofodermin® or 4% NaClO (diluted at 0.4%) as the following groups: Trofodermin®; S. epidermidis + Trofodermin®; 4% NaClO; S. epidermidis + 4% NaClO. Wounds sizes were daily measured and the excision of lesions was performed on day 8 for histopathological evaluation and immunohistochemical studies of Annexin A1 (AnxA1), receptors for formylated peptides (FPR)1 and FPR2 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Levels of interleukin (IL)-1β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in the supernatants of the macerated lesions were also measured.

Results: Wounds treated with 4% NaClO closed faster than those treated with Trofodermin®, especially in the infected group. 4% NaClO reduced the expressions of AnxA1, FPR1, FPR2 and VEGF, as well as decreased the levels of IL-1β.

Conclusion: These results pointed the potential of 4% NaClO in wound healing which opens the possibility for new therapeutic strategies.