Plasma jet–treated Lidah Buaya (Aloe vera) influences proliferative-phase wound healing

Abstract

An in vivo experimental study was conducted to evaluate the effect of a plasma-treated aloe vera slice on cutaneous acute wound healing using a small animal model. A nonequilibrium atmospheric plasma pressure jet (N-APPJ) was developed. Aloe vera slices with thicknesses of approximately 2 mm were treated by N-APPJ at distances of 5 mm, 10 mm, and 20 mm before application. Possible reactive species on the surfaces of the plasma-treated aloe vera slices were chemically identified. Forty-five male Balb/c mice, aged 7–8 weeks, were classified into 5 groups: control (C), aloe vera slice alone (Av), plasma-treated aloe vera slice at 5-mm distance (PTAv-5), plasma-treated aloe vera slice at 10-mm distance (PTAv-10), and plasma-treated aloe vera slice at 20-mm distance (PAV-20). Wounds were observed for 14 days. Histological evaluation using general staining for re-epithelialization was also conducted. The “dropped-water method” was able to identify surfatic RONS. Additionally, this investigation revealed that sizes of wound areas in groups containing an aloe vera slice, from days 2 to 14, were significantly smaller compared with the control group. During the proliferative phase, wound size in PTAv-20 was smaller than that in both PTAv-5 and PTAv-10. From days 4 to 7, wound size in PTAv-20 was slightly smaller than that in Av; however, wound size in PTAv-5 and PTAv-10 was greater than that in PTAv-20. On day 7, re-epithelialization percentages in Av and PTAv-20 were significantly higher than in C. It was concluded that plasmatreated aloe vera has the ability to influence the proliferative phase of wound healing.