Abstract
Several natural products have been shown to accelerate wound healing process. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of Pistacia lentiscus fruits fatty oil on cutaneous wound healing in rat, and to compare this effect to that of saponifiable and unsaponifiable oily fractions. Full-thickness excision wounds were made on the back of anesthetised rats. The fruit's oil and the two fractions were assessed together with a conventional drug, i.e. Madecassol. Preparations were topically applied on the area of excised wounded once a day and assessed for a period of 26 days. During this period, wound area was measured and photographically documented. Wound contraction, expressed as percentage, was significantly (P<0.05) enhanced in the presence of Pistacia lentiscus oil, unsaponifiable oily fraction and Madecassol (R) treatments compared to the control, untreated animals. Furthermore, wound healing potentially effect was more pronounced in case of the oily unsaponifiable fraction treated group compared to the others groups. Results clearly substantiate the healing potential effect on wound of a topic application of the Pistacia lentiscus fruits fatty oil and its unsaponifiable fraction.