Protective effect of silk fibroin in burn injury in rat model

Activation of pro-inflamatuar pathways play major role in formation of major complications as a result of burns. This study was planned to investigate the protective effect of Silk Fibroin in lung injury caused by burn in the experimental rat model. After rinsing the skin of rats under ether anesthesia, the exposed back region, covers 30% of the total body, was kept in the 90 °C water bath for 10 s. The control rats were kept in the 25 °C water bath for 10 s. Immediately after burning process, silk fibroin was administered orally at a dose of 600 mg/kg. After 24 h following burning from all groups the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β in blood samples and the MDA, GSH and the activity of MPO were determined from taken lung tissues. Moreover, the expression of Bcl-2/Bax, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 were determined. Significant increase in TNF-α, IL-1β, Casp-3 and Casp-9 levels were observed in the Silk Fibroin-treated burn group (p < 0.05) whereas for ratio of Bcl-2/Bax, a significant reduction was observed compared to control group (p < 0.05). Increased levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 in Silk Fibroin-treated burn groups were found to be reversed. Silk fibroin can be an effective biomaterial in diminishing burn injury in tissue and apoptosis.