Wound healing of experimental equine skin wounds and concurrent microbiota in wound dressings following topical propylene glycol gel treatment.
Authors: Labens Raphael, Raidal Sharanne, Borgen-Nielsen Cathrine, Pyecroft Stephen, Pant Sameer D, De Ridder Thomas
Journal: Frontiers in veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary Propylene glycol has long been assumed a neutral carrier for equine topical wound treatments, yet its direct effects on healing and the microbial environment remain largely uncharacterised. Labens and colleagues created experimental skin wounds in horses and applied an 80% propylene glycol gel formulation, then tracked healing progression and bacterial community composition both in wound tissue and—notably—within the wound dressings themselves using next-generation sequencing. The use of dressing samples as a non-invasive proxy for wound microbiota proved effective, revealing that whilst propylene glycol treatment supported normal epithelialisation and inflammatory responses, it significantly influenced which bacterial species colonised the wound environment. These findings are particularly relevant for practitioners selecting or formulating topical treatments, as the gel base itself—not merely the active pharmaceutical ingredient—actively shapes microbial ecology and may therefore influence infection risk, healing speed, and treatment efficacy. Moving forward, this work suggests that wound dressing analysis offers a practical in-field tool for monitoring microbiota dynamics during treatment, whilst also highlighting the importance of evaluating carrier vehicles as active components rather than inert vehicles in wound management protocols.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •When selecting wound dressing materials and topical treatments, consider that the gel carrier itself may influence both healing outcomes and bacterial colonization patterns
- •Wound dressings can be submitted for microbiota analysis to monitor wound infection risk without invasive sampling of wound tissue or fluid
- •Propylene glycol-based products warrant clinical evaluation for their effects on wound healing speed and infection prevention in working horses
Key Findings
- •Propylene glycol gel (80% PG) can be used as a carrier vehicle for topical equine wound treatments with measurable biological effects on healing
- •Primary wound dressings are a viable medium for characterizing equine wound microbiota using next-generation sequencing methods
- •Topical PG gel treatment affects the microbiota composition present in wound dressings during the healing process