Introduction: Wound healing is a highly complicated process achieved through definitely programmed stages. Hyaluronic acid is a natural component present essentially in the skin and other connective tissues, it has been used in many medical fields for acceleration of wound healing.
Aim: This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of hyaluronic acid on healing of tongue ulcer in diabetic rat model.
Material & Methods: Thirty male Albino rats were subjected to diabetes induction and after 1 week the animals were classified into 3 groups, Group I: rats were subjected to tongue ulcer and did not receive any treatment. Group II: rats were subjected to tongue ulcer and the ulcers were treated with 3 times/ day topical applications of commercially used 0.2% high molecular weight hyaluronic acid. Group III: rats were received 1-2 IU/ g/day of insulin NPH injected subcutaneous and then subjected to tongue ulcer after one week from the starting of insulin injection. The animals were sacrificed at 4 and 10 days after ulcer induction, specimens were prepared for histological examination and immunohistochemical staining for α-SMA.
Results: Histological examination revealed better enhancement of ulcer healing and re-epithelization together with reorganization of the epithelium and connective tissue in group II and III samples when compared to group I after 4 and 10 days of ulcer induction.
Conclusion: oral application of hyaluronic acid gel has beneficial effects in accelerating wound healing and improving all phases of wound repair in tongue ulcers in rats.