Background: Maggot debridement therapy is a therapeutic wound myiasis that depends mainly on L. sericata
larva. Owing to its availability and cheap breeding, M. domestica was suggested as an alternative to Lucilia.
Objective: The present study was designed to assess the role of M. domestica larvae-derived substances on
wound healing in immunocompetent and immunosuppressed mice.
Material and Methods: Chitosan and gut extracts, obtained from M. domestica larvae, were applied daily
on skin wounds of Swiss albino mice. Mice were divided into two groups, control non-treated mice (I), and
experimental treated mice (II). Each group included immunocompetent (a), and immunosuppressed (b) mice.
The experimental subgroups were treated with either chitosan (1) or gut extracts (2). Wounds were assessed
by macroscopic evaluation, wound contracture, histopathological, immunohistochemical and bacteriological
parameters.
Results: In control non treated mice hair growth was evident with normal underlying skin by the end of
the experiment (4 weeks) except in immunosuppressed (Ib) subgroup. Significant reduction in wound size
was detected on the 7th day post wounding (PW) in the immunocompetent-chitosan-treated subgroup (IIa1)
compared to Ia, IIb1, and IIa2 subgroups. Histopathological examination showed early epidermal creeping
on the 3rd day PW in IIa1, IIa2, and IIb2 subgroups. Significant increase in collagen deposition was best
detected in both gut extract-treated subgroups (IIa2 and IIb2) compared to the control subgroups (Ia, and
Ib). Strong immunohistochemical reaction was evident in all immunocompetent treated mice (IIa1 and IIa2)
by the 7th day PW and in IIb2 by the 14th day PW. Delay in keratin maturation was detected in both control
subgroups and IIb1. Significant reduction in staphylococcal colonies was detected by the 7th day PW in all
immunosuppressed treated subgroups compared to their control subgroup (Ib).
Conclusion: The difference in the rapid wound closure as detected by chitosan treatment, and the effective
skin architecting by gut extract treatment recommends further trial by their combined therapy.