Abstract
Aim:Lawsonia inermis (LI), a naturally grown or cultivated shrub in Northeast of Africa and India, has been traditionally used as a strong remedy for several injuries. However, few studies have reported its use as a cicatrizing agent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of daily application of an ointment prepared with LI leaves’ powder on wound healing in Wistar rats.Materials and Methods:Twenty female Wistar rats were used in this study. Excisional wound model was realized by removing skin from the dorsal part of the neck of each animal. Wounds have been then treated by a daily application of LI ointment prepared by mixing leaves’ powder to petroleum jelly in test group and by simple application of petroleum jelly in control group. Evaluation of wound healing activity was then based on calculating the percentage of wound contraction, period of epithelialization, and wound index every 3 days for a period of 24 days, then, a histological study of the healed excised wound was performed.Results:Treatment with LI has shown excellent wound healing activity, since it has increased percent of wound contraction, and reduced period of epithelialization and wound index as compared to control (p<0.05). These results have been supported by the histological findings that revealed better epithelialization, dermal differentiation, collagen fiber orientation, and angiogenesis in LI treated rats compared to control (p<0.05).Conclusion:We can conclude that LI leaves’ can be used as a potential wound healing agent.
Highlights
A wound is a rupture produced in the skin, which disrupts its cellular and anatomical structures and affects its functionality [1]
We can conclude that Lawsonia inermis (LI) leaves’ can be used as a potential wound healing agent
Our study has shown that LI significantly improves the rate of wound contraction and the epithelialization period in rats, it is difficult to correlate these beneficial effects with a specific component of this plant, as long as this effect can be attributed to a single component or result from a combined activity of several active metabolites
Summary
A wound is a rupture produced in the skin, which disrupts its cellular and anatomical structures and affects its functionality [1]. Complex processes and cascade of cellular events are set up to reconstruct the injured part and restore its tensile strength [2]. The wound healing process takes place in three overlapping phases; the hemostasis/inflammatory phase, the proliferation phase, and the remodeling phase [3]. The blood vessels expand after hemostasis, to allow immune cells, some growth factors, enzymes, and nutrients to reach the wound. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated
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