Background Bentonite, a montmorillonite clay, has been used as a classical remedy strategy for a long time. Recently, bentonite has been used as a raw material in cosmetic products because of its antibacterial and antioxidant properties. However, the therapeutic effect of bentonite on burn injuries has not yet been identified. Here, we explored the therapeutic effect of a novel bentonite complex, which was developed for medical use, on burn wounds and the anti-inflammatory function of bentonite clay in the complex in vitro. Methods A novel bentonite complex and bentonite clay were provided by C&L Biotech Co., Ltd. (Seoul, Korea). The elements of bentonite clay were analysed using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. Burn wounds were induced on the dorsal skin of two Yucatan minipigs, and tissue regeneration was determined by cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and collagen deposition using immunohistochemistry and Masson’s trichrome staining. Anti-inflammatory function was determined using quantitative real-time PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Results We found that by inducing collagen synthesis, cell proliferation, and angiogenesis, the bentonite complex improved skin regeneration in burn wounds. It was also identified that the expression of inflammatory cytokines associated with cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) signalling was significantly inhibited by treatment of the burn wounds with the bentonite complex. An in vitro study to identify the anti-inflammatory effect of bentonite clay, a major component of the bentonite complex, showed that COX-2 signalling was significantly regulated in both HacaT keratinocytes and 3D4/2 macrophage cell lines in vitro. Conclusions This study identified the therapeutic effect of a novel bentonite complex in burn wounds by inducing skin regeneration and bentonite-mediated anti-inflammatory responses with bentonite complex treatment.
