The effect of topical genistein on soft tissue wound healing in rats

Genistein, the most abundant isoflavone in soya, is an inhibitor of tyrosin e kinase, angiogenesis, and topoisomerase II. In Korean folk medicine, ance stors applied the soybean paste on the lacerated or abraded skin wounds, wh ich they believed made faster wound healing with less scar. However, there is yet no precise quantitative study on the effect of genistein or soybean paste on wound healing. This study is aimed at the potential effect of geni stein on soft tissue wound healing in rat model. Forty 200-300 gm Long-Evans Rats were used. They were divided into 4 groups and sub-grouped into 1 wk and 2 wk follow-up groups. Five rats were used f or each subgroup. After closing of an incised wound, either carrier or geni stein was applied in Group I. In Group II, 0.5 ml Aquaphore was applied dai ly to the wound. In Group III, 0.5 mi Aquaphore containing 1 mg genistein a nd in Group IV, 0.5 mi Aquaphore containing 4 mg genistein were applied dai ly. The wounds of Group I and Group II were wider than the ones of Group m and Group IV on the 7th and 14th postoperative day. Group m and Group IV had si gnificant increment of collagen deposition in the scar in comparison with G roup I and Group II. On day 7, Group TV showed significantly higher tensile strength than Group I. On day 14, Group III showed significantly higher hy droxyproline content than Group II. We conclude that genistein induces collagenation in soft tissue wound heali ng.