Wound Healing Effects of Hylocereus Polyrhizus Stem Extract Ointment on Second-Degree Superficial Burned Albino Mice

Abstract

Burns are among the gravest and most common injuries, yet existing treatments are expensive and have side effects. Medical researchers suggest utilizing affordable natural ingredients to lessen the side effects when treating burns. The current study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of red dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus) stem extract as an ointment in treating superficial partial-thickness burns and also compared the Silver sulfadiazine through an experimental research design. Twenty-four (24) male albino mice were divided into four (4) groups of six (6) mice, generated through random selection. Silver sulfadiazine was applied to Group 1, while the ten percent (10%) red dragon fruit stem extract ointment was applied to Group 2. Groups 3 and 4 were treated with five percent (5%) stem extract and simple ointment base, respectively. All treatments were topically administered every twenty-four (24) hours.

In comparison, the wound contraction was measured twenty-four (24) hours after the burn induction and every forty-eight (48) hours after that until the fourteenth day. The ten percent (10%) red dragon fruit stem extract ointment demonstrated a higher mean (%) wound contraction effect of 82.12, and the five percent (5%) red dragon fruit stem extract ointment with 45.57 against Silver sulfadiazine with 42.11. A mean (%) wound contraction of 27.47 was observed for the ointment base. In conclusion, the ointment with 10% and 5% stem extract concentrations from a red dragon fruit plant is an effective treatment for superficial second-degree burns and a potential substitute for Silver Sulfadiazine, wherein a higher concentration indicates a higher wound contraction rate.