Mechanical properties of skin wounds after atropa belladonna application in rats

Atropa belladonna is a topical agent used in the treatment of skin wounds in Slovak folk medicine. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of A. belladonna extract on wound tensile strength in Sprague-Dawley rats. Twenty-four rats were randomly divided into 3 groups of 8 animals. Two symmetrical skin incisions were performed on the back of each animal and immediately sutured. In the 1 st group A. belladonna extract was not applied and the group served as a control. The animals in the 2 nd group were treated by daily application of A. Belladonna extract during the first two days after surgery. The animals in the 3 rd group were treated during all five days after surgery. The wound tensile strength of each group was measured 120 hours after surgery. A separate group of 14 rats was used to measure the tensile strength of unwounded skin. The mean tensile strength of both A. belladonna extract treated groups (2 nd group: 244±48 g; 2.09±0.42% of unwounded skin; 3 rd group: 254±67 g; 2.18±0.58% of unwounded skin) was significantly higher (p<0.05) than the untreated group (1st group: 194±31 g; 1.67±0.26 % of unwounded skin). Results from our investigation suggest a positive effect of A. belladonna on aseptic surgical skin wound healing.