Antioxidant status during cutaneous wound healing in immunocompromised rats

The present investigation was undertaken to investigate the endogenous status of free radical scavengers during cutaneous wound healing in immunocompromised rats. Antioxidant contents and lipid peroxidation product in terms of malondialdehyde (MDA) have been monitored in the wound tissues of immunosuppressed rats at different time intervals ( 2, 7 and 14 days) following cutaneous injury. A significant increase in MDA content and decrease in glutathione and vitamin C content was observed in the skin of immunocompromised rats as compared to control subjects. Further, a significant decrease in vitamin C, vitamin E content, catalase and glutathione peroxidase activity was observed at 2 days postwounding in immunocompromised rats. A significant and time-dependent decrease in glutathione content was also observed at 7 and 14 days postwounding. However, the healing tissue on 2 and 7 days postwounding exhibited significantly elevated superoxide dismutase activity. The MDA content was augmented only at 2 days postwounding in immunosuppressed rats. Thus significant alterations in the antioxidant profile accompanied by elevated levels of MDA, a marker of free radical damage may be contributory to impaired wound healing in immunocompromised rats.