Evaluation of the healing of iatrogenic and infected acute wounds with the use of polymeric membranes incorporated with papain in rabbits and dogs

• Grant number: 22/08705-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: December 01, 2022
• End date: May 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
• Agreement: CONFAP - National Council of State Research Support Foundations
• Principal Investigator: Ademar Benévolo Lugão
• Grantee: Ademar Benévolo Lugão
• Host Institution: Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN). Secretaria de Desenvolvimento Econômico (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Lucas Freitas de Freitas ; Marcelo Jorge Cavalcanti de Sá ; Murilo Álison Vigilato Rodrigues
• Associated scholarship(s): 23/01805-4 - Development of the production process with quality assurance of hydrogel dressings with encapsulated papain, BP.TT

Abstract

Open wounds are common in Veterinary Medicine, and for their treatment, bandages called adherent or non-adherent are used, which aim to protect the wound from contamination, promote patient comfort, debride necrotic tissue, promote healing, absorb exudate and provide a damp medium to the fabric. The different phases of the healing process can benefit from the application of papain. For granulation tissue, a concentration of 2% is used; in the presence of 4 to 6% liquefaction necrosis, for coagulation necrosis: 8 to 10% papain. However, papain has its enzymatic activity affected by humidity, storage time and temperature. Therefore, its application is made in hospitals or clinics through the direct application of papain powder or paste on the wound bed. The application demands a specific expensive preparation carried out locally without adequate control of concentration or any quality guarantee.There is, therefore, a need to develop a low-cost papain-based dressing that preserves its proteolytic activity, is easy to apply and is biodegradable. The project's objective is to develop effective, low-cost papain-based dressings and evaluate iatrogenic and infected wounds in rabbits and dogs. To maintain the enzymatic activity, the bandages will be based on lyophilized hydrogels sterilized by radiation. The surgical wounds will be macroscopically evaluated, verifying the presence or absence of crust formation, seroma, granulation tissue and tissue neoformation. All wounds will be histologically evaluated by collecting material on the 7th, 14th and 21st days after starting treatment. The expected results are to obtain the best blend that allows the encapsulation of papain without impairing its enzymatic activity and at the same time offering mechanical properties for nursing manipulation and animal comfort; obtaining data that prove the stability of the enzymatic activity of our dressing; we hope to obtain an evaluation of its applicability in wounds of domestic and farm animals; proof of the beneficial effects of papain on the formation of granulation tissue is expected and finally we hope to collect evidence that the dressing is safe to proceed with clinical trials. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

RODRIGUES, ADRIANA S.; BATISTA, JORGE G. S.; RODRIGUES, MURILO A. V.; THIPE, VELAPHI C.; MINARINI, LUCIENE A. R.; LOPES, PATRICIA S.; LUGAO, ADEMAR B.. Advances in silver nanoparticles: a comprehensive review on their potential as antimicrobial agents and their mechanisms of action elucidated by proteomics. FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY, v. 15, p. 29-pg., 2024-07-31. (22/08705-2)