Topical Administration of an Ointment Prepared From Satureja sahendica Essential Oil Accelerated Infected Full-Thickness Wound Healing by Modulating Inflammatory Response in a Mouse Model

Abstract

Introduction: Satureja sahendica has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that can have beneficial effects for decreasing inflammation in infected wounds.

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of an ointment prepared from S sahendica essential oil (SSO) on an infected wound model in BALB/c mice.

Materials and methods: One full-thickness excisional skin wound was surgically created per animal and inoculated with 5 × 107 colony-forming units of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. Following induction of the wound, the mice (N = 90) were treated with soft yellow paraffin (negative control, n = 18), mupirocin (positive control, n = 18) and 1%, 2%, and 4% SSO (n = 18 in each of the 3 groups). To determine the effect of the treatments on healing of an infected wound, the following factors were assessed: rate of the wound area, tissue bacterial count, histopathology, collagen biosynthesis, immunohistochemistry, and the expressions of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-4, transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß), and chemokine (CXC motif) ligand 1 (CXCL-1) on days 3, 7, and 14 after induction of the wound.

Results: Topical administration of SSO shortened the inflammatory phase, accelerated cellular proliferation, and increased fibroblast distribution per 1 mm2, collagen deposition, and rapid reepithelialization in comparison with control animals (P <.05). The messenger RNA levels of IGF-1, IL-10, FGF-2, VEGF, TGF-ß1, and CXCL-1 were remarkably increased, and IL-1ß level decreased (P <.05) in the treated animals compared with the control group (P <.05). The immunohistochemical analyses showed topical administration of SSO increased collagen biosynthesis in the treated group (P <.05).

Conclusions: Topical administration of SSO shows evidence of accelerating wound healing by upregulating the expression of IGF-1, IL-10, FGF-2, VEGF, TGF-ß, and CXCL-1; shortening the inflammatory stage; and promoting the proliferative phase.