Abstract: AIM: To observe the effect of phenytoin zinc in treatment of patients with burns. METHODS: Phentyoin zinc (PZ)was compared with sulfadiazine silver(SS)in the treatment of burns.Nineteen patients with second degree burns were enrolled.Ten were in PZ group and nine in SS group, and the drugs were made in a formula of 25% vaseline ointment spread on the wound surface of burns.During the period of treatment, the bacterial burn-surface was cultured weekly. Pain, swollen, exudation, inflammation, scab, and healing time of the wounds were observed as well as histological examination. RESULTS: In PZ group, exudation was decreased and rapid elimination of wound pain (P <0.05)compared to SS group.Bacterial burn-surface culture became negative one week after treatment accounted for 30% in PZ group. There were 16.1 ±2.8 d of healing time of the wounds in PZ group.PZ promoted the granulation tissue proliferation. CONCLUSION: PZ has much better than, at least the equivalent effect, SS in the treatment of patients with burns.

Key words: pharmacodynamics, phenytoin zinc, sulfadiazine silver, burns