a newly isolated bacterium with collagenase therapeutic impact on wound healing

Skin injuries often lead to scarring, which presents a major challenge for effective wound healing. despite much advancement in wound healing, it still remains a complex process. minimizing scars, especially in cases with aesthetic and emotional significance, is crucial. the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of collagenase on improving wound healing. following the isolation of bacteria from soil samples, collagenase was extracted. the enzyme activity was assessed by gelatin zymography, and its molecular weight was determined by sds-page. the collagenase was then formulated into an ointment and used in combination with vaseline as a base for treating wounds in rats. a total of 24 male sprague-dawley rats were selected and assigned to four equal groups. the first, the second, and the third groups were treated with collagenase ointment, phenytoin, and vaseline, respectively. the last group, which received no treatment, was considered as the control group. based on morphological and biochemical tests, isolate number 14 was selected for enzyme production. the isolated bacteria grown in a special culture medium produced the enzyme with a molecular weight of 72 kda. the enzyme showed the highest activity for 40 h. the collagenase-treated group showed superior wound healing, surpassing the other groups in terms of wound contraction, tissue maturation, and epithelium regeneration. histopathological evaluations confirmed the acceleration of wound healing after treatment with collagenase. the findings of this study revealed that collagenase enzyme produced by soil-derived bacteria could be beneficial for the treatment of skin wounds.