Comparative evaluation of tolmetin & tolmetin-zinc on wound-repair & inflammation.

In view of the reported healing-suppressant activity of some NSAIDs and absence of this adverse effect in their zinc-complexes, tolmetin (Tol), a recently introduced NSAID and its zinc-complex (Tol-Zn) were compared for their wound healing and antiinflammatory profiles in male albino rats. Tolmetin-zinc (Tol-Zn) significantly reversed (P less than 0.01) the suppressant effect of Tol on gain in breaking strength of skin incisions and dead space wounds (breaking strength, g: for control, Tol and Tol-Zn were: 313 +/- 7, 250 +/- 11, 294 +/- 16 in skin wounds; 244 +/- 7, 137 +/- 18, 195 +/- 16 in dead space wounds). Tol-Zn shared the significant (P less than 0.001) suppressant effect of Tol on granuloma formation (granuloma weight, mg: control - 69 +/- 3, Tol - 36 +/- 3.03, Tol-Zn - 37 +/- 2.75) and its collagen content (total hydroxyproline per tissue, microgram: control - 1955 +/- 55, Tol - 1400 +/- 200, Tol-Zn - 1410 +/- 150). Rat paw edema induced by carrageenin was significantly (P less than 0.001) reduced by Tol as well as Tol-Zn. In the chronic model both the agents suppressed significantly (P less than 0.001) granuloma formation by 50 per cent. Zinc sulphate by itself reduced the rat paw edema by 39 per cent (P less than 0.02) and did not affect the other parameters. Zinc-complex appears to be an improved version of tolmetin as an antiinflammatory agent with no adverse effect on the healing process. Tolmetin-zinc promotes gain in breaking strength, not by increasing the collagen content, but by favouring better maturation of available collagen at the wound site.