Abstract
PURPOSE: To describe the effects of melatonin associated with bacterial cellulose-based hydrogel on healing of skin wounds in diabetic rats. METHODS: Streptozotocin was used to induce diabetes in Wistar rats. After wound induction, animals were randomly divided into groups GC, GDCC, GDCB, and GDMCB. Animals were evaluated in days 3, 7, and 14 for the following variables: glycemic levels, histopathological and histochemical analyses, healing rate, morphometry and C-reactive protein. RESULTS: There was no change in glycemic levels in the diabetic animals as a result of the treatments; histopathological analyses showed better healing in GDCB and GDMCB groups, as well as histochemistry; at day 14, the highest healing rate was observed in animals from the GDMCB group, reaching almost 100%; morphometry revealed a significant increase of fibroblasts and reduction of macrophages and blood vessels in lesions treated with bacterial cellulose associated or not with melatonin when compared to the other experimental groups. There was also an increase in C-reactive protein in GDCC group at day 14. CONCLUSION: Bacterial cellulose-based dressings associated with systemic melatonin showed beneficial results in experimentally induced wounds in diabetic rats, favoring the healing process.