Abstract
In a dermatological experiment, the plasma and tissue levels of zinc in rats undergoing healing of artificially created wounds was investigated. In groups of animals not pretreated with zinc, tissue and plasma zinc concentrations showed no appreciable changes during the initial stage of inflammation, then increased at the climax of local inflammatory reaction, with noticeable elevation in the injured skin as well, but returned to initial levels as epidermal regeneration took place with increased collagen synthesis. In rats pretreated with zinc, local inflammatory reactions were less intense, together with a hastening of the healing process to cutaneous regeneration. These animals demonstrated low tissue and plasma zinc levels during inflammation despite pretreatment with zinc, and there was a gradual accumulation of zinc in their organs as epidermal regeneration progressed. The results indicate the necessity for zinc in the healing process of wounds, and points out the decreased duration of the healing process when zinc is utilized.
