Inhibition of Rat Skin Ornithine Decarboxylase by Nitrofurazone

To the Editor.— Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is the first enzyme and a rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthetic pathway for the polyamines (putrescine, spermidine, and spermine). Increases in skin ODC activity have been found to correlate with the administration of growth-promoting stimuli such as hair plucking,1tumor promotion, and wounding.2It has recently been reported that topical nitrofurazone (Furacin) treatment results in a substantial decrease in the rate of wound healing in pig skin.3Inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase induction may form the biochemical basis of the clinically observed retardation of wound healing by nitrofurazone. Technique.— Samples of nitrofurazone soluble dressing and its polyethylene glycol vehicle were obtained. Hair was shaved from the dorsal skin of 8-week-old male