EFFECTIVENESS OF MUPIROCIN NANOMICELLS IN THE INSULIN-BASED GEL FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF ACUTE SKIN WOUNDS: A PILOT STUDY.

Background: Wound management is an extremely important clinical and societal concern. Research into the delayed healing process is progressing rapidly, as indicated by novel therapy strategies, such as nano-drug therapy, which is not conventional. Mupirocin is a commonly used antibiotic in wound healing. However, various novel delivery methods have been developed to improve patient compliance, reduce bacterial resistance, and boost mupirocin delivery. Therefore, this pilot study was conducted with the aim of evaluating the effectiveness of mupirocin nanomicelles in insulin-based gel in the management of open skin wounds in Iraqi participants. Materials & methods: A randomized case-control, clinical trial pilot study including 40 skin-wounded patients was conducted in a private surgery clinic in Al-Zubair-Basrah, Iraq. The patients were randomly assigned to two treatment groups (20 male & 20 female patients each): mupirocin nanomicelles in insulin-based gel (2%), and mupirocin gel (2%). They were followed for 5 days. The percentage of wound contraction (% Wound Contraction) was measured and the wound areas were photographed. Results: On day 5 of treatment, all cases treated with mupirocin nanomicells in insulin-based gel showed complete healing (% Wound Contraction = 100) without signs of infection, compared to the mupirocin-treated group (% Wound Contraction = 90.8±1.04) with four cases of infections (p = 0.001). The majority of wounds were located in the arms. Conclusion: The findings suggested that mupirocin nanomicells in insulin-based gel could have applications in the future, as it can promote improved acute wound healing in various regions of the body, percentage of wound contraction, and infection-free status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]