Efficacy of Topical Application of Alcoholic Extract of Yarrow in the Healing Process of Experimental Burn Wounds in Rabbit

Abstract

Medicinal herbs have been used for thousands of years to heal burn wounds, skin ulcers, and sores. The yarrow plant (Achillea millefolium) is a well-known medicinal plant. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and microbiological efficacy of the yarrow (alcoholic extract) on the healing of burn wounds in an animal model. Ten male New Zealand white rabbits, 4-6 months old and weighing 2,100 ± 240 g, were used. Experimental burn wounds (20 × 25 mm 2) were created on the dorsal region of each animal. In the treatment group, the wounds were washed daily with normal saline followed by 5 ml of alcoholic extracted yarrow applied to each wounds. This procedure was repeated for 21 days. In the control group, the wounds were only washed with the same volume of normal saline over the same period. Clinical, histopathological, and microbiological evaluations of the burn wounds were carried out on days 0, 7, 14, and 21. Compared with the control group, wounds treated with the yarrow extract had a better quality of healing with a reduced microorganism count (p < 0. 05). To conclude, topical application of alcoholic yarrow extract, as used in this study, not only improved the quality of healing of burn wounds but also reduced the microbiological burden of such wounds in rabbits. © 2010 Springer-Verlag London Limited.