MINOXIDIL AND WOUND CONTRACTION

Minoxidil has been proposed as a potential topical inhibitor of wound contraction and proliferative scarring. Suggestions for this applicati on are derived from in vitro investigations demonstrating inhibition o f various fibroblastic functions, The purpose of this study was to att empt to establish in vivo support of these effects using an establishe d animal model of wound contraction, Standardized cutaneous wounds wer e created on the dorsum of Sprague-Dawley rats, which were divided equ ally into six treatment groups. Wounds were treated daily after tracin g their unhealed areas, On complete closure of the wounds, analyses of the contraction rates and tensile strength were performed for compari son among groups, Minoxidil did not demonstrate significant inhibition of wound contraction rates relative to either an inert vehicle, an ac tive vehicle, or no treatment, Contrarily, as previously demonstrated in this animal model, silver sulfadiazine did demonstrate significant inhibition of wound contraction rates relative to both vehicles. No si gnificant difference in tensile strength was demonstrated among groups . These observations do not support the proposed use of minoxidil as a n ''antifibrotic'' agent.