Wound healing aims to restore tissue integrity and function by remodeling damaged structures, which involves oxygen as an energy source, cellular signaling and microbial agents. Hydrogen-rich water therapy was developed to control reactive oxygen species and to accelerate healing with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. This study was aimed at determining the effects of orally administered hydrogen-rich water on the amount of malondialdehyde and the number of macrophages after skin excision.
Twenty-four Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups: Day + 2 control, Day + 5 control and Day + 2 treatment, and Day + 5 treatment. Each rat was treated with two punch biopsy excision wounds on the back. Day + 2 and Day + 5 treatment groups received an oral intake of 0.07 ppm hydrogen-rich water while the control group received saline water. The right wound tissue was examined with the Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) method to determine the amount of malondialdehyde, whereas the left wound tissue was examined with Hematoxilin Eosin staining (HE) to observe the number of macrophages.
Statistical results showed that the amount of malondialdehyde in the treatment group was lower than that of the control group (p=0.000), while the number of macrophages in the treatment group was lower than that of the control group (p=0.000) and that there was a correlation between the amount of malondialdehyde and the number of macrophages (p = 0.000; r = -0.787). Conclusion: Hydrogen-rich water decreases the amount of malondialdehyde and the number of macrophages.
