Preparation and Comparison of Effects of Different Herbal Oil Ointments as Wound-Healing Agents

Abstract

Wound healing is a complex process and some agents have been reported to accelerate it. The aim of this study was to evaluate the healing effect of Eucerin-based ointments of lemon, sesame and olive oils on infected full-thickness wounds in rats. Wounds were created on the dorsal surface of Male Albino Wistar rats (n = 12). Wounds were treated with an Eucerin-based ointment containing either of lemon, sesame or olive oils (33% w/w) twice a day for 14 days. Histopathology results showed that contraction of wounds treated with lemon and sesame oils was higher than in the olive oil and control groups on days 10 and 14. In the lemon- and sesame-oil treated groups, on day 14, 50% of rat lesions were completely healed. Total number of inflammatory cells in lemon oil treatment group was significantly smaller than that of others on day 14 (p < 0.001). Also, thickness of the epidermal layer and rejuvenation of the hair follicles and other skin appendages was normal in lemon and sesame oil treated groups. The lemon and sesame oil ointments accelerated the healing process of wounds in macroscopic, morphological and morphmetrical analyses. Therefore, lemon and sesame oil ointments could be considered as alternative dressings for infected full-thickness wounds because of improved wound healing characteristics.