The Effects of Halofuginone on Wound Healing in the Rat Nasal Mucosa

Abstract

Background Halofuginone is an alkaloid febrifugine analogue and bioactive molecule that was isolated incidentally from the Dichroa febrifuga plant. The therapeutic efficacy of halofuginone in parasitic infections, scleroderma, inflammation, and fibrosis-related diseases, as well as in some types of cancer, has been previously reported. The effects of halofuginone on nasal mucosal damage are not yet known. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the potential effect of topically applied halofuginone on wound healing in the mechanically injured nasal mucosa of rats. Methods A unilateral mucosal wound was created in the nasal cavity of 32 rats (aged 4 weeks) using the brushing technique. These rats were randomly divided into 4 groups. Although the control group did not receive an intervention, a dry pad, a saline-impregnated pad, or a pad impregnated with halofuginone were placed in the rats of the other 3 groups and left for 5 minutes. Rats were sacrificed on the 14th day, and a histological examination was performed. The nasal mucosa was assessed via hematoxylin-eosin and Masson’s trichrome staining. Results There were no statistically significant differences in epithelial thickness, inflammation, goblet cell formation, and epithelial disarray values between the halofuginone group and the control group ( P > .05). The subepithelial thickness was significantly decreased in the saline-treated group and the halofuginone-treated group ( P < .05), but a significantly lower level of subepithelial fibrosis was only observed in the halofuginone group compared to the other groups ( P < .05). Conclusions Topical halofuginone administration reduces the development of fibrosis and subepithelial edema after experimentally induced nasal mucosal injury, but it does not exert therapeutic or preventive effects on epithelial damage, inflammation, and goblet cell hyperplasia.

The effect of hypertonic alkaline nasal irrigation on nasal wound healing in an experimental animal model

“…The minimal subject number was determined as 22 by the G*Power version 3.1 (Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany) [16] based on the study of Ceylan et al [4] with a 95% confidence interval and 5% tolerable error assumptions. The statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS version 22.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA).…”

“…Nasal mucosal wounds cause nasal crusts and mucosal synechiae, which negatively affect surgical success. [4] Many different cells and molecules are involved in wound healing consisting of hemostasis, inf lammation, proliferation, and remodeling phases. [5] Wound healing is affected positively or negatively by many factors.…”

“…In previous studies, several medical wound healing agents have been used during or after nasal surgeries with different application methods to prevent postsurgical complications, such as nasal crusting, nasal septal perforation formation, mucosal adhesion formation, and mucosal scar formation. [4,[6][7][8][9] Nasal irrigation is frequently used in the management of allergic rhinitis, treatment of sinonasal infections, and after sinonasal surgeries due to its positive properties, including anti-inf lammatory effects, increasing mucociliary clearance, cleaning mucus, crust, mucosal debris, and harmful substances in the air, and moisturizing. [10][11][12] Several solutions, such as saline, hypertonic solutions, and Ringer's lactate, can be used for nasal irrigation using different tools.…”

The Effect of Melatonin on Nasal Septal Wound Healing in an Experimental Animal Model

“…The minimum subject number was calculated according to the study of Ceylan et al (13). It was eleven, with a 95% confidence level and a 5% tolerable error rate, in each group.…”

Editorial

“…The current issue includes a number of articles exploring techniques to optimize surgical outcomes in patients undergoing sinonasal surgery. The first article by Ceylan et al 1 investigates a novel plant-based molecule, halofuginone, and its anti-inflammatory effect on mucosal wound healing in rats. In a "How I Do It" format article, Lou describes the use of microwave ablation for the treatment of benign sinonasal lesions in the outpatient setting.…”