Effect of Croton lechleri sap-based topical treatment, with or without nitroglycerin, on healing of equine metatarsal skin wounds.
Abstract: Skin wounds in horses, particularly in the distal extremities, often heal slowly due to mechanical stress, compromised perfusion, and excessive fibroplasia. This study evaluated the effects of topical Croton lechleri (CL) cream, alone or in combination with nitroglycerin, on the healing of skin wounds in the metatarsal region of horses. Six mares received six standardized wounds in each region and were treated with: saline solution, nitroglycerin (0.1 or 1 mg/mL), CL (1 or 10 µg/mL), or CL + nitroglycerin (10 µg/mL + 1 mg/mL). Wound contraction, histology, and bacterial culture were evaluated. Wounds treated with CL demonstrated increased collagen deposition and reduced angiogenesis over time. Nitroglycerin reduced vessel count over time in metatarsal wounds but did not significantly alter contraction. In conclusion, Croton lechleri appears to aid in tissue repair by modulating collagen deposition, angiogenesis, and inflammation.
© 2026 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Publication Date: 2026-02-23 PubMed ID: 41810120PubMed Central: PMC12969322DOI: 10.1016/j.vas.2026.100598Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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Overview
- This study investigated how topical treatment with Croton lechleri (CL) sap, alone or combined with nitroglycerin, affects the healing process of skin wounds on the metatarsal area of horses.
- The research aimed to determine whether these treatments can improve wound healing by influencing physiological factors like collagen deposition, blood vessel formation, and inflammation in challenging wound locations.
Background
- Skin wounds in horses, especially on distal extremities such as the metatarsal region, often heal slowly. This is due to:
- Mechanical stress from movement and weight-bearing, which can disrupt healing tissues.
- Compromised perfusion, meaning limited blood flow to the area, restricting nutrients and oxygen needed for repair.
- Excessive fibroplasia, or overproduction of fibrous tissue, leading to abnormal scarring and delayed wound closure.
- Therefore, finding treatments that can optimize these healing factors is important to improve outcomes in equine wound care.
Objective and Experimental Design
- Researchers tested the effects of topical Croton lechleri, a plant sap known for its medicinal properties, on skin wound healing.
- They looked at:
- CL alone at two concentrations: 1 µg/mL and 10 µg/mL.
- Nitroglycerin alone at two concentrations: 0.1 mg/mL and 1 mg/mL. Nitroglycerin is a vasodilator that can increase blood flow.
- Combination treatment of CL (10 µg/mL) plus nitroglycerin (1 mg/mL).
- Saline solution as a control treatment.
- Six mares received six standardized skin wounds on each metatarsal region, with wounds assigned different treatments to compare outcomes.
Measured Outcomes
- Wound contraction: the amount of wound size reduction over time, indicating closure and healing progress.
- Histology: microscopic examination of tissue samples to assess:
- Collagen deposition, which is vital for strength and integrity of healed tissue.
- Angiogenesis, or new blood vessel formation, important for delivering nutrients but excessive angiogenesis may indicate prolonged inflammation or abnormal healing.
- Bacterial culture: to monitor infection status of wounds, as infection can delay healing.
Key Findings
- Wounds treated with Croton lechleri showed:
- Increased collagen deposition over time, suggesting enhanced formation of strength-providing tissue components.
- Reduced angiogenesis, indicating a possible modulation of inflammatory or repair processes that may avoid excess blood vessel formation and promote more organized healing.
- Nitroglycerin treatment resulted in:
- A reduction in vessel count over time, meaning fewer new blood vessels in the wounds. Although nitroglycerin is expected to increase blood flow initially, its effect here might be more complex in wound tissue.
- No significant effect on wound contraction, suggesting that although vascular changes occurred, they did not translate into measurable differences in wound closure rate during the study period.
- The combination of CL and nitroglycerin was also evaluated but the summary does not specify additive or synergistic effects beyond those of CL or nitroglycerin alone.
Conclusions and Implications
- Croton lechleri appears to aid tissue repair in equine metatarsal wounds by:
- Modulating collagen deposition, which is critical for rebuilding the dermal matrix and providing wound strength.
- Reducing angiogenesis, possibly leading to more controlled and efficient healing without excessive inflammation or scar tissue formation.
- Influencing inflammatory responses, which are intricately tied to wound healing processes.
- Nitroglycerin, while impacting vessel formation, did not significantly accelerate wound closure, suggesting its role may be limited or context-dependent in skin wound healing.
- These findings support the potential use of Croton lechleri sap-based topical treatments to improve wound healing in horses, especially in problematic distal extremity wounds.
- Further studies may be warranted to optimize dosing, evaluate long-term outcomes, and clarify combination therapy benefits.
Cite This Article
APA
Rosa MCB, Campos MEST, Albuquerque AS, Braz MS, Mapele RO, de Oliveira MCG, Toma HS, Ferraz PFP, Pereira RN, Raymundo DL.
(2026).
Effect of Croton lechleri sap-based topical treatment, with or without nitroglycerin, on healing of equine metatarsal skin wounds.
Vet Anim Sci, 32, 100598.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vas.2026.100598 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Centro Universitário de Lavras, UNILAVRAS, Caixa Postal 3141, CEP 37200-000, Lavras, MG, Brasil.
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Lavras, UFLA, Campus Universitário, Caixa Postal 3037, CEP 37202-203, Lavras, MG, Brasil.
- Unidade de Estabilização de Fauna Marinha - Laboratório de Zoologia, Caixa postal 1873, CEP 88790-000, Laguna, SC, Brasil.
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Lavras, UFLA, Campus Universitário, Caixa Postal 3037, CEP 37202-203, Lavras, MG, Brasil.
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Lavras, UFLA, Campus Universitário, Caixa Postal 3037, CEP 37202-203, Lavras, MG, Brasil.
- Centro Universitário de Lavras, UNILAVRAS, Caixa Postal 3141, CEP 37200-000, Lavras, MG, Brasil.
- Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU), Caixa Postal 593, CEP 38400-902, Uberlândia, MG, Brasil.
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Lavras, UFLA, Campus Universitário, Caixa Postal 3037, CEP 37202-203, Lavras, MG, Brasil.
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Lavras, UFLA, Campus Universitário, Caixa Postal 3037, CEP 37202-203, Lavras, MG, Brasil.
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Lavras, UFLA, Campus Universitário, Caixa Postal 3037, CEP 37202-203, Lavras, MG, Brasil.
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
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