Histopathological evaluation of burdock (Arctium lappa)‎ root hydroalcoholic extract on wound healing

Abstract EN

Background: Wound healing is a process that occurs following skin lesions.

Shortening healing time is of critical importance as it reduces the risk of infection, complications, and costs.

Objectives: In this experimental study, 36 male Wistar rats each weighting approximately 200 - 220 g were studied in six groups, each with 6 animals for 21 days.

Hydroalcoholic extract of Burdock root was prepared through the maceration method.

The animals underwent a 2 2 cm diameter resection of cutaneous fragment on the dorsum.

The first group was kept without treatment as the control group, the second group (negative control) was treated with Eucerin, and the third group (positive control) was treated with ointment of phenytoin (1%).

Eucerin based-ointments from hydroalcoholic extracts of Burdock root with concentrations of 20%, 40% and 60% of weight/weight were administered to the animals in the other three groups twice a day.

The lesion diameter and programmed euthanasia were analyzed through a surgical specimen resected for histopathology.

Results: The healing process was completed in 21 days in both no treatment and Eucerin groups.

In the phenytoin 1% group, the healing time was 16 days and in hydroalcoholic extracts of Burdock root groups of 20%, 40% and 60%, complete wound closure was observed in 16, 16 and 14 days, respectively.

All the treated groups and the control group showed significant differences when compared with the negative control and control group (P < 0.05).

In addition, the histological study of the group treated with hydroalcoholic extracts of Burdock root showed that symptoms and improvement of skin tissues had a better status.

Conclusions: The crude hydroalcoholic extract of Burdock root was found to cause better outcomes in the healing process, acute inflammation, and fibrosis on the 7th, 14th, and 21st day postoperatively.