Alleviation of radiation combined skin injury in rat model by topical application of ascorbate formulation

PURPOSE: This research endeavor was undertaken to elucidate the impact of an innovative ascorbate formulation on the regeneration process of full-thickness excision wounds in a rat model exposed to whole-body gamma irradiation, replicating conditions akin to combat or radiation emergency scenarios. MATERIALS AND METHODS: ) to mimic radiation combined injury (RCI). The developed RCI model was used to explore the healing potential of ascorbate formulation. The study includes various treatment groups (i.e., sham control, radiation alone, wound alone, radiation + wound, and radiation + wound + formulation). The ascorbate formulation was applied twice daily, with a 12-hour gap between each application, starting 1 hour after the initiation of the wound. The healing potential of the formulation in the RCI context was evaluated over 14 days through hematological, molecular, and histological parameters. RESULTS: < .05). Histopathological assessments supported the formulation's effectiveness in restoring cellular architecture and promoting tissue regeneration. CONCLUSION: Topical application of the ascorbate formulation in RCI resulted in a significant improvement in delayed wound healing, leading to accelerated wound closure by mitigating the expression of inflammatory responses.