Evaluation of Wound-healing Potentials of Aloe vera and Honey-based Formulation for Treatment of Burns

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Natural products have long been used in health-related cases and have found use in contemporary folk medicine and also for developing new novel products. Firstly, because of their relative availability and safety, and lastly, for their cost-effectiveness. This study compared the wound healing potential of a formulation made from Aloe vera and honey against the use of these single agents alone. Wistar rats were grouped into 6 treatment groups. One of the animal groups received the formulation after burn wound injuries were induced to all the animals while another group received a commercially available product as the positive control. Two negative control groups were used for this study (receiving a bland gel and an untreated group) while the two (2) remaining groups received only a single agent of Aloe vera and the other used honey. The results after the animal studies revealed that Aloe vera alone was more effective than honey or their combination for the management of wounds however antimicrobial studies that were done for these agents singly and in combination showed that honey has a better antimicrobial effect than Aloe vera. Aloe vera also helped improve the activity of honey on vancomycin and oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VORSA) and Escherichia coli. Aloe vera has a better wound healing potential while honey has a better antimicrobial effect. An optimal topical formulation can be made with both agents for wound healing because of their inherent synergistic antimicrobial effect on VORSA and E. coli.