Effects of PerClot® on the healing of full-thickness skin wounds in rats.

PerClot(®) is a hemostatic material made of polysaccharide from modified starch and has been shown to assist in topical hemostasis. The principal goal in treating surgical and non-surgical wounds is the need for rapid closure of the lesion. This study investigated whether topical application of PerClot(®) could improve impaired wound healing in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Full-thickness skin wounds were created on the back of the rats. Immediately, PerClot(®) was introduced into the wound bed, while wounds receiving starch or nothing served as controls. Wound closure was monitored using well-recognized wound-healing parameters: histological examination for inflammatory cells and fibroblast infiltration, newly formed capillaries, and collagen deposition. Meanwhile, transforming growth factor (TGF-β1) was measured by immunochemistry. Wound closure was significantly accelerated by local application of PerClot(®). Furthermore, PerClot(®)-treated wounds showed significantly increased fibroblast numbers at 5 days post-wounding, and newly formed capillaries at 7 days post-wounding, and collagen regeneration at 7 and 14 days post-wounding. The number of infiltrating fibroblasts expressing TGF-β1 was significantly higher than that in the controls at 7 and 14 days post-wounding. PerClot(®) can improve the wound healing and this effect might involve an increase in the activity of fibroblasts and increased release of TGF-β1.