Topical curcumin gel accelerates healing of II A – degree burns on male wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus)

Abstract

Background: Burns can happen to anyone at any time, so they require wound care, which is essential to speed up wound healing. Curcumin gel is suspected to help this process, which is administered topically. Besides being cheap, easy to find, and minimal side effects, the content of curcumin helps a series of biological processes that accelerate the recovery of II A – degree burns, which have not been studied extensively recently. Aim: The study aims to prove that topical curcumin gel can accelerate the healing of II A-degree burns in male Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus). Methods: This true experimental study with a post-test control group design involved 28 male Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus), which were initially intervened by inducing a heat probe that stimulated the formation of an area of II A – degree burns. Wound profile analysis was conducted in the control and treatment groups within 7 and 14 days, respectively. After the wound biopsy, the significance of the parametric test results on the average velocity of epithelialization, number of fibroblasts, and collagen density was assessed. Results: Epithelialization rate (p<0.001), fibroblast cell count (p=0.007), and collagen density (p=0.011) after curcumin administration were higher than controls. The curcumin treatment group at 14 days showed the greatest significance among the other comparisons (p<0.05). The higher the speed of epithelialization, the higher the number of fibroblasts or collagen, respectively, in the control and treatment groups (r > 0.65; p <0.05). Conclusion: Topical administration of curcumin gel has the potential to be a hope for future remedies that initiate the improvement of the healing process of II A – degree burns properly.