Background: Skin wounds comprise a clinical load for many patients. Owing to their availability and ability for differentiation, adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are considered a promising line in the tissue regenerative medicine. Virgin coconut oil (VCO) has been also reported to help in wound healing by decreasing time of complete re-epithelization. However, there was lack in literature about histological details.
Aim: The study aimed to compare the effect of ADSCs versus natural VCO in wound healing.
Material and Methods: Thirty adult male rats were used in three experimental groups, ten rats in each. All animals were exposed to excisional skin wound injury. Group I was used as wounded untreated group. Group II was injected intra-dermally with 1x106 ADSCs in four injection sites around the wound, while group III was treated with topical application of 0.5 gm VCO ointment. After 2 weeks, all rats were sacrificed. Macroscopic shrinkage of wounds was recorded and compared. Skin samples were harvested and processed for light microscopic examination using H. & E. & Masson ̍s trichrome stains. Morphometric measurements were done for both epidermal thickness & collagen fibers area percentage. Data was analyzed statistically.
Results: Histological examination of group II revealed regenerated epidermis and dermal skin appendages. Masson ̍ s trichrome stained sections revealed thick collagen bundles running in different directions. In Group III, epidermis was thin with few developing dermal skin appendages. Masson ̍ s trichrome stained sections showed dense parallel bundles of collagen fibers.
Conclusion: Virgin coconut oil enhanced skin wound healing. However, ADSCs proved to be more efficient in regaining mature skin structure.