Compositions, methods and devices are provided for promoting healing and preventing and treating infection in mammalian subjects. The compositions include pharmacologically active, protease inhibiting, cytokine protecting, aqueous media soluble sulfonated materials, optionally associated with one or more secondary therapeutic agents or carriers, to reduce one or more of inflammation, bacterial proliferation and proteolytic activity. Additionally provided are solubility increasing, stability increasing, toxicity decreasing thiol compounds associated with an antimicrobial compound and optionally secondary therapeutic agents to reduce one or more of inflammation and bacterial infection. Combinations of sulfonated and thiol compounds provide pharmacologically active, protease inhibiting, cytokine protecting, aqueous media soluble, antibacterial, stable, toxicity decreasing, solubility increasing compounds for treating wounds, including burns, in humans and other mammals.