Effectiveness of topical application of ostrich oil on the healing of Staphylococcus aureus- and Pseudomonas aeruginosa-infected wounds

Background/aims: Management of infected wounds is one of the major challenges that surgeons and nurses face. Several antimicrobial agents have been used, but the toxicity, drug resistance, and their effect on the healing process remain a matter of concern. The present study was designed to analyze the accelerative impact of topical application of ostrich oil on infected wounds in a mouse model. Materials and methods: 72 BALB/c mice were divided into four main groups of control-sham, mupirocin, and two treatment groups receiving 2% and 4% (w/w) concentrations of ostrich oil, topically. The mice were routinely anesthetized and wounds were created by excising the skin with a 5-mm biopsy punch. Immediately after wounding, an aliquot of 25x10(7)Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was suspended in 50-L phosphate-buffered saline and applied on the wound and the wound was left open. The healing rate in the infected wound was assessed using wound area, histopathological characteristics, and expression of growth factors including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-1), and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2). Results: The wound area significantly decreased (p<0.05) in the treated animals. There was a significant increase (p<0.05) in new vessels, fibroblasts count, and collagen deposition in the ostrich oil-treated animals. Expression of VEGF, TGF-1, and FGF-2 revealed the immunomodulation and angiogenesis effects of the ostrich oil on wound healing. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that ostrich oil may be a useful treatment in infected cutaneous wounds.