Copaiba oil-resin (Copaifera langsdorfii Desf.: Caesalpiniaceae) associated with laser therapy for skin wound treatment in Wistar rats

Abstract

Alternative protocols for the treatment of skin lesions have been developed with the use of techniques such as photobiomodulation and phytotherapy, aiming to optimize this process. To evaluate the effectiveness of copaiba (Copaifera langsdorffii) oil-resin and low-level laser therapy for treating cutaneous wounds, 15 Wistar rats (Rattus norvergicus) were used, in whom five 8-mm lesions were produced. The following protocols were applied: negative control group (T1); positive control group (T2); laser therapy with AsGa (904 nm), continuous, focal mode for 10 s, dosage of 4 J/cm² (T3); copaiba oil-resin (T4); and association group (copaiba and low-level laser) (T5). The efficacy of each technique was evaluated based on macroscopic aspects of the lesion, wound healing rate, and histopathological analysis (inflammatory infiltrate and collagen expression). The Kruskal-Wallis test was used for statistical analyses (P> 0.05). Copaiba treatment showed an advantage in type III collagen expression, whereas laser therapy demonstrated an enhanced capacity for tissue regeneration. The significant advantage obtained from the association treatment is the improvement of the macroscopic aspect of the wound, with a reduction in crust formation.