Objective

To evaluate the accelerating effects of chitin and chitosan on healing of skin wound in dogs.

Materials & Methods

Under general anesthesia, each dog received two, linear, full thickness skin incisions on the both sides of dorsal midline at 0, 4, 7 and 11 days. Each incision was 3 cm long and placed 2 cm from and parallel to the vertebral column. A distance of 3 cm was allowed between each two consecutive incisions (cranial to caudal). The dogs were randomly divided into 2 groups (five dogs in each group). The incisions on one side of the vertebral column were sutured by mono-filament 2-0 nylon (control group). Within the incisions on the other side of the vertebral column, chitin and chitosan powder were embedded, in chitin and chitosan groups respectively. These incisions were then sutured in the same fashion as the other incisions. At 14 days after initial wounding, the dogs were sacrificed and a full-thickness biopsy of the incised skin including the suture line at the center of the specimen was removed for histological observations.

Results

Number of inflammatory cells was greater in the chitin and chitosan groups than those in control group. Collagen fibers were more matured in the chitin and chitosan groups than those in control group and their arrangement was similar to that of normal skins.

Conclusion

Chitin and chitosan promotes healing of wounds and have beneficial effects on some of the parameters responsible for tensile strength of the wounded skin.