Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) Does Not Affect Epidermal Wound Healing

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Abstract
The effect of 95% DMSO [dimethylsulfoxide] on dermal/epidermal healing and microbial flora was studied in partial-thickness wounds. Wounds of 0.3 mm were made in the skin of Yorkshire pigs with a keratome and treated daily with either 95% DMSO or water or left untreated. Wounds were excised on Days 2-7 and the dermis was separated from the epidermis. The dermis was assayed for collagen biosynthesis (by measuring the production of [14C]hydroxyproline (HP) and amount of radioactive peptides released after collagenase digestion) and absolute HP (by spectrophotometric analysis). The epidermis was evaluated macroscopically for resurfacing. Aerobic bacteria from unwounded and wounded skin were identified and quantitated. There were no significant differences between treatment groups in HP incorporation or absolute collagen content from Days 2-6 after wounding. HP incorporation in the total protein fractions and in the collagenase digestible fractions were analogous. Collagen biosynthesis was simialr in both unwounded, untreated and unwounded DMSO-treated skin. Epidermal healing did not differ between treatment groups. There were no differences in the number or types of bacteria in wound between treatment groups. Evidently topical DMSO is neither beneficial nor harmful in the healing of superficial wounds.

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