Wound Healing Effect of Lawsonia inermis

BACKGROUND: Lawsonia inermis-extracted oil is known for therapeutic properties, especially wound healing. This study assesses the potential of this oil for wound healing in a rat model. METHODOLOGY: To assess the potential of L. inermis-extracted oil for wound healing, phytochemical, antibacterial, and antioxidant analyses were conducted. Uniform wound excision was induced on the dorsum of randomly selected rats divided into 3 groups cleaned and treated with saline solution (control), Cicaflora (reference), and L. inermisoil. Biopsies performed after healing were histologically assessed. CONCLUSIONS: The quality and content of the fatty acids in the oil were determined. Results showed a high content of bioactive components inducing an efficient wound healing effect determined by an in vivo study. Histological and chromatic assessment findings revealed healing in the oil-treated group but not in the untreated group, a full reepithelialization with reappearance of skin appendages and well-organized collagen fibers without any inflammatory cells. This might be due to a synergistic effect of the phytoconstituents present in the oil.