EVALUATION OF WOUND HEALING POTENTIAL OF SPIDER SILK USING MICE MODEL

Spider silk is an excellent biocompatible material with strong regenerative capability that make it extremely attractive candidate for cutaneous wound repair. In this study we evaluated the wound healing potential of silk recovered from three different spider species (i.e., Pholcus phalangioides, Crossopriza lyoni and Araneus diadematus) and compared with the standard povidone-iodine, honey and turmeric. Animals were maintained in the animal house. Full thickness excisions were created on the dorsum of each animal with sterilized scalpel. All test materials were applied topically on respective wounds according to standard protocol. Results of study showed that silk of Pholcus and Crossopriza tremendously accelerated the skin reconstruction process and significantly reduced the wound surface area in 14 days compared to more than 20 days of natural untreated healing. The pace of wound contracture and re-epithelialization was nearly the same in groups which received silk solution of A. diadematus, honey and povidone-iodine treatment. Turmeric hardly succeeded in making minute difference from natural healing in untreated group but remain exceptional in its scar inducing potential. The present work furnishes scientific proofs to revalidate the previously under-appreciated role of spider silk as a potent wound healing agent. The outcomes of this study strongly recommend harnessing of spider silk components in the formulation of commercial dermatological ointments for wound repair.