Abstract
Aims: This study aimed to investigate the skin wound healing potential of Rhamnolipid in vivo employing an experimental rat model. Materials and Methods: Rhamnolipid was purchased from a commercial source (Sigma) diluted in normal saline at 5 mg/mL and applied topically on excision back wounds in healthy Wister rats, Hyaluronic acid cream was used as the positive control. Wounds were monitored for closure rate and biopsies were obtained for histology assessment at the end of the experiment. Results: Wounds of the Rhamnolipid-treated group were completely closed within 14 days compared to 68.25 and 92.63 % closure rates for the untreated and Hyaluronic acid-treated groups, respectively. Histology assessment revealed a significant re-epithelization of Rhamnolipid-treated wounds when compared to the other groups. Inflammation was significantly (p = 0.049) diminished in response to Rhamnolipid, while granulation was significantly (p = 0.043) enhanced. No significant (p = 0.111) difference in angiogenesis was encountered among the groups. Conclusion: The findings of the study highlight the need to further seize the potential activity of Rhamnolipid as a wound healer, anti-scarring, and antimicrobial agent, especially in the maxillofacial field.
