Abstract
Resina Draconis (RD) is a type of dragon's blood resin obtained from Dracaena cochinchinensis (Lour.) S.C. Chen (Yunnan, China). It has been used as a medicine since ancient times by many cultures. The ethanolic extract of Resina Draconis (RDEE) was evaluated for its wound-healing activity using excision and incision wound models in rats. Group I, the control group, was treated with ointment base. Group II, which served as a reference standard, was treated with moist exposed burn ointment (MEBO). Group III was treated with RDEE. The parameters observed were percentage of wound contraction, epithelialization period, tensile strength, histopathological studies, microvessel density (MVD), and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). The group treated with RDEE showed significantly better wound contraction and better skin-breaking strength as compared with the control group. The results of histopathological examination, MVD, and the expression levels of growth factors supported the outcome of the wound models as well. The present study provided a scientific rationale for the traditional use of RD in the management of wounds.
Highlights
Skin healing is a complex process that involves inflammation, reepithelization, angiogenesis, granulation tissue formation, and deposition of interstitial matrix, beside other events carried out by different types of cells, such as keratinocytes, fibroblasts, inflammatory cells, and endothelial cells
Epithelial cells crawl across the wound bed to cover it and the wound is contracted by myofibroblasts, which grip the wound edges and undergo contraction using a mechanism similar to that in smooth muscle cells
The results revealed that treatment with RDEE and moist exposed burn ointment (MEBO) resulted in much faster contraction of wound (P < 0.05)
Summary
Skin healing is a complex process that involves inflammation, reepithelization, angiogenesis, granulation tissue formation, and deposition of interstitial matrix, beside other events carried out by different types of cells, such as keratinocytes, fibroblasts, inflammatory cells, and endothelial cells. There are three stages of the process of wound healing: inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. The proliferative phase is characterized by angiogenesis, collagen deposition, granulation tissue formation, epithelization, and wound contraction. Angiogenesis involves new blood vessel growth from endothelial cells. In fibroplasia and granulation tissue formation, fibroblasts excrete collagen and fibronectin to form a new extracellular matrix. The final stage of wound healing is remodeling or maturation of the granulation tissue into mature connective tissue and/or scar. Current methods used to treat wounds include debridement, irrigation, antibiotics, tissue grafts, and proteolytic enzymes, which possess major drawbacks and unwanted side effects. The use of traditional medicinal remedies and plants in the treatment of burns and wounds is an important aspect of health management and at the same time is an effective way to provide cheaper healthcare options [2]
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