Development of gel containing Psidium glaziovianum essential oil has in vitro antimicrobial activity and improves healing of excisional wounds in mice

Abstract

Wounds are physical, chemical, biological or even medical procedure-related damage to the skin or mucous membranes. One of the major problems in the treatment of wounds is the development of infections, as they cause systemic damage to the patient, delaying recovery from the injury. In order to accelerate the healing process, there is currently an interest in finding drugs that can interact with the injured tissue and fight the associated infections. Previously P. glaziovianum essential oil (PgEO) has been shown to have antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as minimal oral toxicity. Therefore, our objective was to evaluate the impact of topical application of a gel formulation containing PgEO in excisional wounds in mice. Additionally, in vitro antimicrobial evaluation was also performed. The results of this research demonstrate that the gel containing essential oil of P. glaziovianum has action against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, as well as fungi. Furthermore, the results show that PgEO gel therapy improves skin wound healing, presumably because of its ability to stimulate antioxidant enzymes and inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokines. The gel also demonstrated minimal erythrocyte toxicity and skin irritation, which may hold promise for future preclinical and clinical studies in various types of wounds.