Abstract
The study was conducted to develop a cost effective and safe herbal medicine for open wounds and to prove on scientific lines the status of traditional herbal medicine used in Northern part of Saudi Arabia. Bed sore is an open wound formed on the skin, which is a common problem faced by the patients of limb paralysis and other long term bed ridden patients. In this research project a traditional herbal medicine, used in Northern part of Saudi Arabia for the treatment of severe condition of open wounds, is studied in male Wister Albino rats weighing between 150-200g. For this study 12 male albino rats of Wistar strain were selected, weighed and divided into 3 groups comprising of 4 rats in each group. The circular wounds of 400mm(2) size were produced on the dorsal thoracic region following the reported method. Animals of Group 1 were treated with test drug (dried powder of Punica granatum rind), Group 2 with Fucidin ointment and Group 3 with Vaseline. The wounds were measured and application was made using standard method on alternate days. The animals were monitored daily for their health. The data was collected and statistically analyzed using student t-test considering p < 0.05 as significant. The test drug exhibited highly significant activity compared to others i.e. all animals of Group 1, 2 and 3 healed on 15, 17 and 21 days respectively. This may lead to formulation of a cost effective and safe herbal medicine for bed sore. TLC study was also conducted on extract of pomegranate rind which revealed the presence of rutin, quercitin, gallic acid and salicylic acid. The wound healing activity may be due to the presence of these phenolic compounds.