Evaluación de la actividad cicatrizante de carbón activado usando como bioindicador ratones mus musculus

Abstract

Wound management has been a constant challenge in medicine, with traditional treatments influencing the development of pharmaceutical forms with diverse presentations that aid in the acceleration of wound healing. However, chronic and acute wounds continue to represent a public health problem. The objective of this study was to evaluate activated charcoal as a therapeutic alternative for wound healing, exploring its physicochemical properties, which complies with the established parameters. According to the physical tests of the activated charcoal, it presented a pH of 9.91 and a humidity of 10%, which are within the ranges established by USP 30. Three ointments were formulated with different concentrations (control, 2% and 4%) and organoleptic, pH and extensibility tests were carried out. The organoleptic characteristics of the three formulations developed showed a uniform appearance, with a smooth texture and no visible particles, as well as good extensibility on the skin. The pH test in triplicate on each of the formulations showed that all formulations remained within the acceptable range (5.5 to 7.0). This is crucial to ensure the safety and stability of the formulations. The results obtained for extensibility performed in the pharmaceutical forms with different concentrations showed a constant result of 4.5 cm radius in the three formulations, indicating a homogeneous extensibility in the different concentrations. A pre-stability study was also carried out on the activated carbon-based formulations, in which temperatures were applied to the ointments for a period of 48 hours, after which the organoleptic characteristics were developed and no changes or variations in pH were observed. The formulations developed were applied in model organisms Mus musculus mice where a total of 12 mice (females) were used, divided into 4 groups formed by 3 mice group 1 control, group 3 2% ointment, group 3 4% ointment and group 4 commercial cream, where a 15-day study was carried out. The results showed that on day 3 of application of the ointments with activated charcoal and the commercial cream presented scab formation while in the control group the scab was formed on day 4. On the fifth day, wound reduction was more significant in the 2% (0.7 cm) and 4% (0.5 cm) formulations and in the commercial cream (0.4 cm), while the control presented slower healing (0.8 cm). At day 12, the wound closed completely in the group treated with 4% activated charcoal and in the commercial cream, while the group treated with 2% closed completely at day 13 and the control group reached total healing until day 14. The results obtained were satisfactory for the valuable contribution to science and regenerative medicine by expanding the knowledge of the properties of activated charcoal, opening new possibilities in the development of treatments for tissue regeneration.