Evaluation of the effects of a high-efficiency decontamination solution for sodium contamination on sodium burn wounds in rat skin.

Objective: To prepare a compound irrigation formulation for sodium contamination and evaluate its effects on wound pH regulation and early repair outcomes in a rat model of sodium-induced skin injury. Methods: A compound irrigation formulation for sodium contamination was prepared using glycine and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt as the principal formulation components. Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to five groups: no-irrigation group (NI), water irrigation group (WI), boric acid irrigation group (BA), Diphoterine irrigation group (DP), and decontamination solution group (DS), with 12 rats in each group. At 3 min after sodium contamination, wounds were treated with the corresponding interventions and irrigated for 15 min. Wound pH was monitored during irrigation, and wound healing was evaluated on day 14. Histopathological changes were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and semi-quantitative injury scoring, and collagen deposition was evaluated by Masson staining. The expression of PCNA, VEGF, α-SMA, and CD31 was detected by immunohistochemistry, and the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α were measured by ELISA. Results: The DS group showed a rapid reduction in wound alkalinity, and wound pH shifted toward a near-neutral range after 15 min of irrigation. Compared with the NI, WI, and BA groups, the DS group had a significantly higher wound healing rate on day 14 (P < 0.05). Histological analysis and semi-quantitative injury scoring showed better tissue preservation, reduced inflammatory cell infiltration, a lower histopathological injury score, and increased collagen deposition in the DS group. PCNA expression did not differ significantly among groups, whereas the expression levels of the angiogenesis- and repair-associated markers VEGF, α-SMA, and CD31 were increased in the DS group compared with the NI and WI groups (P < 0.05). In addition, IL-1β and TNF-α levels were decreased in the DS group compared with the NI and WI groups (P < 0.05), IL-6 was decreased compared with the NI group (P < 0.05), and IL-10 was increased compared with all other groups (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The compound irrigation formulation rapidly reduced wound alkalinity and was associated with improved early repair outcomes, including increased collagen deposition, enhanced angiogenesis-related marker expression, and a more favorable local inflammatory profile in sodium-induced skin wounds in rats. These findings suggest its potential as an emergency irrigation formulation for sodium contamination, although direct sodium removal and the independent contribution of each component require further investigation.