Evaluation of Wound Healing Effect of Punica granatum L Peel Extract on Deep Second-Degree Burns in Rats

Purpose: To investigate the healing effect of Punica granatum L. peel (Pomegranate husk) extract (PHE) on deep second-degree burns in rats. Methods: Male Wistar rats, weighing 220 - 240 g, were subjected to deep second-degree skin burns by electrical scald instrument. The animals were divided into three groups as follows: (1) deep second-degree burn model (control) group, (2) burns model treated with 1 % silver sulfadiazine (SSD) group, and (3) burns model treated with PHE group. On days 3, 7, 14 and 21, animal weight, wound area as well as histopathological features of skin were evaluated for all the groups. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of PHE on Staphyloccocus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli were also assessed separately. Results: On day 21, the mean wound area of PHE treatment group (0.21 +/- 0.07 cm(2)) and SSD treatment group (1.15 +/- 0.1 cm(2)) were significantly smaller than that of control rats (2.42 +/- 0.2 cm(2), p < 0.01) respectively. Histological results indicate that inflammatory cells disappeared substantially and were replaced by new granulation tissue in PHE treatment or SSD treatment group, while that of the control rats still showed severe inflammatory cell infiltration. Antibacterial test revealed that the MIC of PHE on Staphyloccocus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli was 6.25, 12.5 and 6.25 mg.mL(-1), respectively. Conclusion: The results reveal that PHE is an effective and promising medicinal herb for the management of deep second degree burns.