OBJECTIVETo explore new source of skin for burn wound coverage.

METHODSSplit-thickness consanguineous skin was harvested from New Zealand white rabbit and was soaked in 200 g/L of multi-peptides of Tripterygium wilfordii, 50 g/L of dexamethasonel, on 9 g/L of normal saline solution for 15 - 30 mins, respectively. The consanguineous skin was thereafter grafted onto the whole layer skin defects in filial generation of rabbits with non-consanguineous skin as the control. The survival time and rejection of the grafted skin was observed.

RESULTSThe rejection appeared evidently less intense and survived significantly longer (43 +/- 3.5 days) when the consanguineous skin was pretreated by Tripterygium wilfordii. However the grafted consanguineous skin survived for 30 +/- 2.5 days when it was pretreated by dexamethasone. The grafted skin was quickly rejected and survived only for 11 +/- 1.6 days when the skin was pretreated by normal saline or the skin was non-consanguineous.

CONCLUSIONConsanguineous skin possessed partial compatibility with the recipient due to similar antigen, which was beneficial to the its survival, especially after the skin was pretreated.

Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents ; pharmacology ; Burns ; surgery ; Dexamethasone ; pharmacology ; Female ; Graft Rejection ; Graft Survival ; Male ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Rabbits ; Skin ; drug effects ; Skin Transplantation ; methods ; Transplantation, Isogeneic ; Tripterygium ; Wound Healing