Hydrogen Peroxide: A Potential Wound Therapeutic Target

• Published in: Medical principles and practice Vol. 26; no. 4; pp. 301 - 308
• Main Authors: Zhu, Guanya, Wang, Qi, Lu, Shuliang, Niu, Yiwen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel, Switzerland S. Karger AG 01.01.2017
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Infective Agents, Local - pharmacology; Antigens; Antimicrobial agents; Arthritis; Blood; Cell growth; Cytokines; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; Gene expression; Growth factors; Hemostasis - drug effects; Humans; Hydrogen peroxide; Hydrogen Peroxide - pharmacology; Inflammation; Microorganisms; Neutrophils; Pathogens; Proteins; Rats; Review; Transcription factors; Wound healing; Wound Healing - drug effects; Wound Healing - physiology; Wounds and Injuries - drug therapy; Wounds and Injuries - immunology; Wounds and Injuries - physiopathology; Therapeutic target; Hydrogen peroxide; Wound healing
• ISSN: 1011-7571; 1423-0151; 1423-0151
• DOI: 10.1159/000475501

Hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) is a topical antiseptic used in wound cleaning which kills pathogens through oxidation burst and local oxygen production. H 2 O 2 has been reported to be a reactive biochemical molecule synthesized by various cells that influences biological behavior through multiple mechanisms: alterations of membrane potential, generation of new molecules, and changing intracellular redox balance, which results in activation or inactivation of different signaling transduction pathways. Contrary to the traditional viewpoint that H 2 O 2 probably impairs tissue through its high oxidative property, a proper level of H 2 O 2 is considered an important requirement for normal wound healing. Although the present clinical use of H 2 O 2 is still limited to the elimination of microbial contamination and sometimes hemostasis, better understanding towards the sterilization ability and cell behavior regulatory function of H 2 O 2 within wounds will enhance the potential to exogenously augment and manipulate healing.