OBJECTIVETo prepare ecdysterone cream for promoting wound healing and conduct the dose-effect analysis to determine the optimal concentration.

METHODSThe cream substrate containing 4 concentrations (0.625%, 1.25%, 2.5% and 5%) of ecdysterone was prepared. Full-thickness skin defect was induced in 9 New Zealand rabbits at 5 sites on the dorsal skin, and the wounds were treated with blank cream substrate and ecdysterone cream at the 4 concentrations, respectively. On days 4, 8 and 12 after the injury, the healing area and the healing rate for each wound were determined, and in one rabbit, the tissues around the wounds were sampled for pathological examination.

RESULTSThe ecdysterone cream significantly promoted wound healing as shown by increased percentage of the healing area (P<0.01), and the optimal concentration was 2.5%. Pathologically, the wounds treated with 2.5% ecdysterone cream exhibited more obvious granulation tissue formation and proliferation of the epithelial cells, endothelial cells and fibroblasts than those treated with the cream of the other concentrations.

CONCLUSIONThe ecdysterone cream can obviously promote wound healing in rabbits at the optimal concentration of 2.5%, which may offer a clinical alternative for promoting wound healing.