Effect of menthol in skin wound healing in diabetic rats

• Grant number: 15/03230-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): June 01, 2015
• Effective date (End): December 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Morphology - Histology
• Principal Investigator: Ariane Leite Rozza
• Grantee: Amanda Capeletti Vendrami
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IBB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Skin integrity can be affected or even loss due to physical, chemical or thermal injury, leading to ulcer formation. In response to these injuries, a healing process starts, a dynamic process which reestablishes function and integrity of the injured tissue. Delayed wound healing is a major problem in diabetes mellitus, and it is related mainly to a delayed inflammatory response, alterations in cell proliferation and migration and decreased growth factors production. Menthol is the main terpene found in the essential oils from the species of genus Mentha, and it has antinociceptive, local anesthetic, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of this study is to analyze the effect of topical use of menthol in skin wound healing in diabetic Wistar rats. Diabetes will be induced in male Wistar rats using streptozotocin (55 mg/kg). Skin wounds will be developed in the back of the rats, which will be photographed, measured and treated everyday with base cream (negative control), insulin-based 0.5 U/g cream (positive control) or menthol-based cream 0.5% during 18 days. After euthanasia, samples of the wounds will be destined to histological, histomorphometrical and immunohistochemical analyzes, besides the dosage of cytokines TNF-±, IL-1², IL-6 and IL-10 and measurement of NO levels.