Evaluation of a positively charged submicron emulsion of piroxicam on the rabbit corneum healing process following alkali burn

The effect of piroxicam in three different formulations was tested on rabbits for 28 days in an alkali burn model. The ulceration healing process was determined by evaluating the severity of the burn (scored from 0 to 5), and the re-epithelization healing process was measured by the area of the defects. The results indicated that the piroxicam positively charged submicron emulsion was the most effective formulation in lowering the ulcerative cornea score while the piroxicam positively charged emulsion and the blank emulsion were more effective in promoting the re-epithelization healing process. The piroxicam solution elicited the slowest healing re-epithelization rate after 28 days and was unable to complete the entire healing process. The new positively charged submicron emulsion formulation of piroxicam had a pronounced effect on both the ulceration rate and epithelial defects in the management of corneal alkali-burning. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.