A Comparison between the Wound-Healing Efficacy of Gelatin Spray and NaCl 0.9% on Wistar Rats

Wound healing is a dynamic biological process involving hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling phases. Gelatin is a biocompatible, biodegradable biomaterial with structural similarity to the extracellular matrix, capable of creating an optimal microenvironment for wound healing. This study aimed to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of gelatin spray and 0.9% NaCl in modulating wound healing parameters in Wistar rats. A true-experimental pre-and post-treatment design was employed using 27 male Wistar rats divided into three groups, namely negative control (no treatment), 0.9% NaCl, and gelatin spray. Wound healing parameters were assessed on days 2, 7, and 14, including macroscopic wound diameter and microscopic evaluations of granulation, re-epithelialization, and inflammatory cell count. In addition, IL-6 and VEGF levels in wound tissues were analyzed using ELISA. Gelatin spray significantly reduced wound diameter (p = 0.004), increased granulation tissue formation (p = 0.018), and decreased inflammatory cell counts (p = 0.018) compared with control and NaCl groups. VEGF levels declined significantly in both the gelatin (p = 0.047) and NaCl (p = 0.004) groups, with NaCl producing sustained reductions and gelatin exerting an earlier effect. No significant changes were observed in IL-6 levels or reepithelialization for gelatin or NaCl. Gelatin spray demonstrated superior wound healing efficacy over 0.9% NaCl by accelerating wound contraction, promoting granulation, reducing inflammatory infiltration, and modulating VEGF expression. These findings support its potential as an effective wound dressing material, warranting further clinical investigation in human subjects.