Triterpenes for Well-Balanced Scar Formation in Superficial Wounds
Stefan Kindler,
Matthias Schuster,
Christian Seebauer,
Rico Rutkowski,
Anna Hauschild,
Fred Podmelle,
Camilla Metelmann,
Bibiana Metelmann,
Charlotte Müller-Debus,
Hans-Robert Metelmann,
Isabella Metelmann
Affiliations
Stefan Kindler
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/Plastic Surgery, Greifswald University Medicine, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Str. DZ 7, Greifswald 17475, Germany
Matthias Schuster
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/Plastic Surgery, Greifswald University Medicine, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Str. DZ 7, Greifswald 17475, Germany
Christian Seebauer
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/Plastic Surgery, Greifswald University Medicine, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Str. DZ 7, Greifswald 17475, Germany
Rico Rutkowski
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/Plastic Surgery, Greifswald University Medicine, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Str. DZ 7, Greifswald 17475, Germany
Anna Hauschild
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/Plastic Surgery, Greifswald University Medicine, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Str. DZ 7, Greifswald 17475, Germany
Fred Podmelle
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/Plastic Surgery, Greifswald University Medicine, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Str. DZ 7, Greifswald 17475, Germany
Camilla Metelmann
Department of Anesthesiology, Anesthesia, Intensive Care-, Emergency- and Pain Medicine, Greifswald University Medicine, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Str., Greifswald 17475, Germany
Bibiana Metelmann
Department of Anesthesiology, Anesthesia, Intensive Care-, Emergency- and Pain Medicine, Greifswald University Medicine, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Str., Greifswald 17475, Germany
Charlotte Müller-Debus
Department of Surgery, Greifswald University Medicine, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Str., Greifswald 17475, Germany
Hans-Robert Metelmann
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/Plastic Surgery, Greifswald University Medicine, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Str. DZ 7, Greifswald 17475, Germany
Isabella Metelmann
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/Plastic Surgery, Greifswald University Medicine, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Str. DZ 7, Greifswald 17475, Germany
Triterpenes are demonstrably effective for accelerating re-epithelialisation of wounds and known to improve scar formation for superficial lesions. Among the variety of triterpenes, betuline is of particular medical interest. Topical betuline gel (TBG) received drug approval in 2016 from the European Commission as the first topical therapeutic agent with the proven clinical benefit of accelerating wound healing. Two self-conducted randomized intra-individual comparison clinical studies with a total of 220 patients involved in TBG treatment of skin graft surgical wounds have been screened for data concerning the aesthetic aspect of wound healing. Three months after surgery wound treatment with TBG resulted in about 30% of cases with more discreet scars, and standard of care in about 10%. Patients themselves appreciate the results of TBG after 3 months even more (about 50%) compared to standard of care (about 10%). One year after surgery, the superiority of TBG counts for about 25% in comparison with about 10%, and from the patients’ point of view, for 25% compared to 4% under standard of care. In the majority of wound treatment cases, there is no difference visible between TBG treatment and standard of care after 1 year of scar formation. However, in comparison, TBG still offers a better chance for discreet scars and therefore happens to be superior in good care of wounds.