An experimental study of the wound healing effect of ophthalmic drug films with 6-methyl-3-(thietan-3-yl)uracil and methyluracil

Purpose: to study experimentally the wound-healing effect of ophthalmic drug films (ODF) with 6-methyl-3-(thietan-3-yl) uracil and methyluracil. 
Material and methods. The study involved 17 Chinchilla rabbits (34 eyes), whose corneas were histomorphologically studied after an experimental chemical acid burn and treatment. ODF with 6-methyl-3-(thietan-3-yl)uracil were deposited in the right eyes of 15 rabbits (15 eyes), and ODF with methyluracil — in the left eyes of these rabbits. Two rabbits served as control: their right eyes were left without wound healing therapy, while the left eyes received dexpanthenol 5 % gel (corneregel) 4 times a day. All animals were monitored daily for 21 days. The morphological changes in the cornea were recorded on the 2nd, 7th, 14th and 21st days after the experimental chemical burn.
Results. The course of reparative processes of the chemical burns of the cornea was found to be different depending on the drugs used. Our results show that the ODF with methyluracil led to the resorption of the edema and the turbidity, as well as to a total closure of the desquamation sites of the corneal epithelium on the 7th day. With the ODF containing 6-methyl-3-(thietan-3-yl) uracil, the effect was achieved on the 14th day. In contrast to the control, ODF enhanced the growth and reproduction of cells, rapidly improved the trophism, and stimulated the regeneration process in damaged corneal tissues. ODFs produced no toxic reactions, such as destruction of the collagen framework, maceration, pronounced edema, and hyperemia. On the 21st day of observation, the microscopic picture of rabbit cornea showed the usual normal structure. 
Conclusion. ODF therapy with methyluracil and 6-methyl-3-(thietan-3-yl)uracil leads to accelerated centripetal epithelialization of corneal erosion, more structured and histologically correct restoration of the epithelial-stromal layer.

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