Phenytoin silver: A new nanocompound for promoting dermal wound healing via comprehensive pharmacological action

Abstract

Phenytoin, an antiepileptic drug, has been widely used for wound healing. Inspired by previous studies, phenytoin silver (PnAg), a sparingly soluble silver nanocompound, was synthesized which exhibited good therapeutic efficacy in tissue repair with low toxicity (LD50 > 5 g/kg). In vivo studies showed that PnAg could accelerate dermal wound healing and strong inflammation control in Sprague-Dawley rats (SD rat) and Bama minipigs. Due to its low solubility, PnAg led to low toxicity and blood enrichment in animals. Furthermore, PnAg could upregulate the promoter activity of Jak, Stat3, and Stat3 downstream proteins. Therefore, PnAg may serve as an effective therapeutic compound for wound healing through regulating the gp130/Jak/Stat3 signaling pathway.