Antibacterial Efficacy of Hyaluronic Acid and in Combination with Mupirocin in Rats' Burns: An in Vivo and in Vitro Bacterial Load Reduction

Ali, Atyaf; Zubairi, Maysaa

doi:10.36582/ksj.2026.172002.1068

	Antibacterial Efficacy of Hyaluronic Acid and in Combination with Mupirocin in Rats' Burns: An in Vivo and in Vitro Bacterial Load Reduction
Al-Kunooze Scientific Journal
Volume 12, Issue 4, October 2026
Document Type: Original Article
DOI: 10.36582/ksj.2026.172002.1068
Authors
Atyaf Ali^* ¹; Maysaa Zubairi²
¹Iraqi Ministry of Health, The-Qar, Iraq
²Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Basrah, Basrah, Iraq.
Abstract
Background: Burn wound infections are complicated by microbial colonisation, biofilm formation, and invasive progression. Hyaluronic acid (HA) provides a protective barrier against external contaminants, while mupirocin (pseudomonic acid A) inhibits bacterial protein synthesis by targeting isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase. The objective: evaluate the antibacterial activity of HA gel alone and in combination with mupirocin (MUP+HA) by measuring colony-forming units (CFUs) and zone of inhibition (ZOI) against bacteria isolated from burn wounds in a rat model. Materials and Methods: A standardized full-thickness burn (10 mm diameter) was induced on the dorsal skin of rats using a stainless-steel rod heated to 100°C and applied for 15 seconds. Bacterial samples were collected on day 7 and cultured on nutrient and Mueller–Hinton agar. Antibacterial efficacy was assessed through CFU quantification and the Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method. Results: The MUP+HA gel group showed a highly significant reduction in CFUs compared with the negative control and HA groups (P ≤ 0.001). All treated groups differed significantly from the control (P ≤ 0.001). The MUP+HA gel also produced a significantly larger ZOI than HA alone. Conclusion: The MUP+HA combination gel demonstrated superior antibacterial efficacy and a complementary effect, whereas HA alone showed limited activity.
Keywords
Hyaluronic acid; Mupirocin; Topical gel; Antibacterial activity; Burn wounds

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