The effect of lipoic acid on wound healing in a full thickness uterine injury model in rats

• Published in: Journal of molecular histology 2013-06, Vol.44 (3), p.339-345
• Main Authors: Micili, Serap Cilaker, Goker, Asli, Sayin, Oya, Akokay, Pinar, Ergur, Bekir Uğur
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Actins - metabolism; Animals; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cell Biology; Cicatrix - drug therapy; Cicatrix - metabolism; Cicatrix - physiopathology; Developmental Biology; Female; Life Sciences; Muscle, Smooth - drug effects; Muscle, Smooth - metabolism; Muscle, Smooth - physiology; Neovascularization, Physiologic - drug effects; Neovascularization, Physiologic - physiology; Original Paper; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Regeneration - drug effects; Regeneration - physiology; Thioctic Acid - pharmacology; Uterus - drug effects; Uterus - injuries; Uterus - metabolism; Uterus - physiology; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - metabolism; Wound Healing - drug effects; Wound Healing - physiology
• ISSN: 1567-2379; 1567-2387
• DOI: 10.1007/s10735-013-9485-8

Aim of this study was to investigate the effects of lipoic acid on uterine wound healing by immunohistochemical and biochemical assay in a rat uterine horn model with full thickness injury. Thirty-two female Wistar albino rats were randomised into five groups: Control group, with no intervention; uterine scar group 15days (US15d), uterine scar group 15 days + alpha lipoic acid (ALA) (US15d + ALA), uterine scar group 30 days (US30d) and uterine scar group 30 days + ALA (US30 days + ALA). After uterine incision 100 mg/kg of ALA was administered by oral gavage for either 15 or 30 days. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) distribution were evaluated by immunohistochemical methods in tissue and ELISA methods in tissue homogenate. The percentage of α-SMA positive area in US15d + ALA and US30d + ALA groups was significantly higher than US15 and US30d groups. The percentage of VEGF positive area in US15d + ALA group was significantly higher than US15d group and US30d + ALA group was significantly higher than US30d group. Biochemically, α-SMA was significantly higher in the US15d + ALA group when compared to US15d group and higher in US30d + ALA group when compared to US30d group. VEGF was significantly higher in US15d + ALA and US30d + ALA groups when compared to US15 and US30d groups. In conclusion, ALA was found to be effective in enhancing wound healing in uterine full thickness injury.