In rats and guinea pigs, a collagen gel that included the small peptide GHK (gly‑his‑lys) helped bone wounds heal faster than leaving the wound empty or using the gel without GHK. The most rapid healing was seen when the full formulation (Colladel) was used, and it also boosted bone growth around metal implants.

The authors prepared 7.5% and 12.5% collagen gel, and supplemented it with the tripeptide Gly-His-Lys (GHK), perfloxacine and hypersulphated glycosaminoglycan (HSGAG). By means of 125l marking, its absorption was followed from small polyurethane sponges placed under the skin of rats. The absorption of gel without HSGAG was found to be faster. Antibodies against collagen (type I, II and III) or collagen gel were generated either in rabbits or in minipigs, in which collagen gel was tested. Microbiological tests proved the sterility of the collagen gel. The collagen gel supplemented with GHK, pefloxacine and HSGAG was named Colladel, and was used in a model experiment in guinea-pigs for filling artificially created bone defects in diaphyses of femurs, and with cementless endoprostheses. The healing process was followed by means of RTG and NMR, and histologically. The slowest healing process was found in unfilled bone defects. Defects filled with Colladel without GHK healed substantially more quickly, and the most accelerated healing was connected with complete Colladel application. When Colladel was used with cementless endoprostheses, vivid osteogenic activity at the interface of trabecular bone and metal stem was detectable in the course of the experiment.