Evaluating the Oral Wound Healing Properties and Antimicrobial Efficacy of Sulfonated Shrimp Chitosan

This study evaluated the oral wound healing efficacy and fibroblast proliferation induced by sulfonated Vannamei shrimp chitosan, compared with commercial chitosan. Additionally, its antimicrobial activity against oral microorganism Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, and Porphyromonas gingivalis was assessed. In the wound healing study, three groups of rats were treated with Aquades (negative control), commercial chitosan (positive control), and sulfonated shrimp chitosan, with healing time and fibroblast proliferation measured. The antimicrobial study tested different concentrations (1, 3, 5, and 7%) using a disk diffusion method. Sulfonated shrimp chitosan showed the fastest wound healing (5 ± 0.47 days) compared with commercial chitosan (6 ± 0.0 days) and Aquades (6.6 ± 0.6 days) (p = 0.036), and significantly higher fibroblast counts (20.32 ± 0.688, p < 0.001). Antimicrobial activity was moderate, with the highest inhibition at 3 or 5%. The ANOVA (analysis of variance) test was used for hypothesis testing with the significance level at p <0.05, followed by a Kruskal–Wallis test. Sulfonated chitosan demonstrated superior wound healing properties, consistent with studies showing enhanced tissue regeneration by sulfonated chitosan derivatives. Antimicrobial effects were moderate, with peak activity at intermediate concentrations and a decrease at 7%, possibly due to a saturation effect. These findings suggest sulfonated shrimp chitosan could be a promising agent in wound healing and infection control.