Investigation of the Synergistic Effect of Drug Hydrocortisone and Catechin on Wound Healing in a Surgically Excised and Burned Wound Model in Rats
Kanika Goyal, Parakh Basist, Gofran Ibrahim Alkhalaf, Ebrahim Ahmed Jaber Al Hatef, Sradhanjali Mohapatra, Vikas Jogpal, Ritu DahiyaIntroduction:
Wound healing is a complex biological process involving inflammation, cell proliferation, and tissue remodeling. Persistent inflammation and oxidative stress can delay healing, particularly in surgical and burn wounds. This study investigated the synergistic wound-healing potential of a hydrogel containing hydrocortisone and catechin in surgically excised and burn wound models in Wistar albino rats.
Methods:
A Carbopol-based hydrogel containing hydrocortisone and catechin was formulated after confirming drug compatibility using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). Surgically excised and burn wounds were created in Wistar albino rats, which were randomly assigned to five groups: untreated control, standard treatment, hydrocortisone hydrogel, catechin hydrogel, and combination hydrogel. Wound contraction was assessed on days 1, 5, 10, 15, and 21 (or day 19 for burn wounds). Histopathological evaluation was performed using hematoxylin and eosin staining, and statistical analysis was conducted using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's post hoc test, with p < 0.05 considered significant.
Results:
The hydrocortisone–catechin hydrogel significantly accelerated wound healing compared with the control and individual treatment groups (p < 0.05). In the excision wound model, the combination treatment reduced the wound area to 0.0162 ± 0.0050 mm² by day 21, while in the burn wound model the wound area decreased to 0.0162 ± 0.0056 mm² by day 19. Histopathological analysis demonstrated enhanced collagen deposition, fibroblast proliferation, angiogenesis, and complete re-epithelialization, together with reduced inflammatory cell infiltration in the combination-treated group.
Discussion:
The improved healing response observed with the combination hydrogel suggests a synergistic interaction between hydrocortisone and catechin. Hydrocortisone effectively suppressed excessive inflammation, whereas catechin provided antioxidant protection and promoted collagen synthesis, angiogenesis, and tissue regeneration. Their complementary mechanisms produced faster wound closure and superior tissue repair compared with either agent alone.
Conclusion:
The hydrocortisone–catechin hydrogel demonstrated superior wound-healing efficacy in both surgically excised and burn wound models by accelerating wound contraction, reducing inflammation, and improving tissue regeneration. These findings support the potential of this combination hydrogel as a promising topical therapeutic strategy for wound management and warrant further preclinical and clinical investigations.