Naringenin improves the healing process of thermally-induced skin damage in rats

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of the phenolic compound naringenin on thermal burn-induced inflammatory responses and oxidative stress in rats. METHODS: First degree thermal burn injuries were induced in shaved rats by 10 s immersion of the back surface in water at 90℃. Naringenin treatment (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg/day) was initiated 24 h following burn injury, and continued for 7 days. On treatment day 7, serum tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin (PG)E(2), caspase-3, leukotriene (LT)-B4 and nuclear factor (NF)-κB levels were quantified. Skin sample glutathione (GSH) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels, and catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities, were also measured. RESULTS: Serum inflammatory biomarkers were significantly increased in thermal-burn injured rats versus uninjured controls. Naringenin significantly inhibited the increased proinflammatory markers at day 7 of treatment. Increased TBARS levels and decreased GSH levels in wounded skin were significantly restored by naringenin treatment at day 7. SOD, catalase, GPx and GST activities were markedly inhibited in wounded skin tissues, and were significantly increased in naringenin-treated rats. CONCLUSION: Naringenin treatment showed anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects in rats with thermal burn-induced injury.