Investigating wound healing and antimicrobial activity of terebinth extract and terebinth extract+oxytetracycline mixture in experimental wounds in mice

Abstract

Objevtive: The aim of the study is to investigate the wound healing and antibacterial activity of terebinth extract and the mixture of terebinth + 3% oxytetracycline in experimental wounds in mice. Material-Method: The animal material of the study consisted of 18 mice. The animals were divided into 3 groups as control group (group I, n: 6), terebinth group (group II, n: 6), terebinth +oxytetracycline group (group III, n: 6). Wounds with a 1-cm2 diameter were induced on the back of the mice and infected with Staphylococcus aureus ATCC® 25923 reference strain. Treatment protocols of the groups were applied daily. Total aerobic mesophilic bacteria and S. aureus count was performed in the swab samples taken on days 3, 7, and 14 of the healing process. Results: In the study, it was found that wound healing process was completed the earliest in Group III (mean duration of 15.67±0.609 days), which was followed by Group II (18±0.73) and Group I (24.67±0.919), respectively. The healing period was statistically significantly shorter in Group II and Group III than in Group I (p<0.001). In the evaluation of aerobic mesophilic bacteria and S. aureus load, much less live bacteria were found in Group III compared to the other groups. In addition, the bacteria count in group II, in which terebinth extract was used, was less than that of the control group. Conclusion: Consequently, it was concluded that the extract of terebinth plant grown in Siirt region reduced the bacterial load in the wound area and accelerated the healing process.