Effects of Topical Application of Halofuginone on Wound Healing

Shin, Dong Ju; Kim, Do Won; Lee, Seok Jong; Kim, Jung Chul

Abstract

BACKGROUND: During normal wound healing the formation of scars and fibrous tissue occurs, which consists largely of collagen fibril, but excessive fibrosis and scar formation become clinical problems. Collagen remodelling during scar formation is dependent on both continued collagen synthesis and collagen catabolism. Halofuginone, a plant alkaloid, is known to inhibit collagen type I synthesis at the transcriptional level.
OBJECTIVE
The purposes of this study were to investigate the effects of topical application of halofuginone on the healing of wounds. METHOD: Topical solutions containing halofuginone of variable concentrations were applied on the full-thickness excisional wounds of hairless mice and 0.1% halofuginone ointments applied on the suture site of rats and the normal skin of hairless mice daily. In addition, we performed a one-time intradermal injection of 0.1% halofuginone solution on the normal skin of the hairless mice. We examined the collagen content of the skin of hairless mice and rats treated with halofuginone solutions and ointments during the healing process by performing hematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome stains. We assessed, from time to time, the change in the full-thickness excisional wound size of hairless mice treated with halofuginone solutions of variable concentrations during the healing process and observed clinically the healing process of hairless mice with the full-thickness excisional wound. RESULT: 1. The wound size after daily application of 0.001% and 0.1% halofuginone solutions on the full-thickness excisional wounds of hairless mice decreased more slowly in comparison with the control group (p < 0.05).